The Beginning
by bluesky5678
Summary: Ana and Christian students and strangers to each other at Harvard until one night when Christian needs rescuing and Ana needs a lesson.


Hi, everyone. Thank you for your kind responses to my other stories. Again, I submit all my stories completed. I noticed that The Rose was on the 'just in' list for a day or so but after that it disappeared. I couldn't find it on the long list either. I do keep getting favorite notices so some people are finding the stories but I'm baffled as to how. If you know, please PM me or leave a review.

Nor do I understand what FanFic has against justified stories. The choices are middle or left.

And I often find whole paragraphs in the middle for some reason. So, this site is still confusing me.

I love origin stories, don't you? So, I've tried to write one. Hope you like it. And, as always, thanks to all the other authors who have me hooked on their stories. Keep those chapters coming.

Thanks to E. L. James for creating all these people I love.

 **THE BEGINNING**

Angela was annoying and determined. She followed him around campus and made clear her intentions. He, on the other hand, had none toward her but still, he guessed she thought he was just shy or needed to be persuaded. No amount of ignoring her worked. One day he was complaining to a couple of friends about the situation and how he couldn't get any work done in the library. He said that he was going to go back to his apartment and hide out.

He had been home working for a while when the bell rang. Without looking, he opened the door…to Angela. He tried as nicely as possible to get her to leave but she insisted on staying. He texted his friends to come help him get rid of her. One of them, Ana, replied that the cavalry was on the way. He had no idea what she had planned to do.

Angela had him backed up against the living room wall when he heard the door open quietly. He looked up, past Angela's head and his mouth dropped open. There stood Ana…Ana as he had never seen her before. She was wearing 6 inch stilettos. Her dress, if you could call it that, was a shimmering silver mini that came to only her mid-thigh and was held up by a thin strap around her neck.

Angela followed his gaze, turning to see Ana smiling at him as if there wasn't a tall blonde glued to the front of him. She continued smiling as she reached up under her dress and then her hands emerged with two straps. She laughed as she pulled on the straps and a bikini-like pair of panties fell to the floor. As close as Angela was to him, she couldn't help noticing the sudden bulge in his pants. She backed up a couple of inches.

Ana turned gracefully on her heels, revealing her naked back. Her hair was piled high and loosely on her head with tendrils trailing delectably down her delicate neck. Half turned, she looked at him over her shoulder and stretched out a graceful arm. She held out her hand, one finger pointing at him and then crooked to indicate that he was to follow her. She looked at him with enough heat in her eyes to burn the place to the ground and said, her voice soft yet firm…"Come."

He pushed past Angela and followed Ana toward his bedroom. He heard Angela huff, clomp toward the front door and, as he closed his bedroom door, heard the outer door slam behind Angela. Not that he cared where she was or where she was going. Had she wanted to sit out in the living room and wait for the day sometime in the future when he would emerge from the bedroom in a daze, he didn't care. In the bedroom, he watched as Ana sat on the bed and removed the 6 inch heels that made her slender legs seem to go on forever. He was mesmerized until he saw her remove a small pair of socks from the toe of each shoe.

"My roommate wears a size 7 while I wear a size 6. I could barely walk in these things even with my toes jammed into my socks." She sat on the bed massaging her sore feet. "Would you happen to have an extra t-shirt that I could borrow," she asked. She took the one he pulled from the drawer and told him to turn around. He heard some rustling until she said, "Okay, all done".

 **THE 1** **ST** **LESSON**

Gone was the tiny silver dress. Her feet were now covered with white socks and her body with his t-shirt. She laid back on the bed, his t-shirt riding up enough to reveal an inch or two of naked stomach and a pair of boy shorts.

"Hmm…I thought you removed your panties."

She laughed, "Those were a pair of my roommate's bikini bottoms, you dunce. Wasn't I going far enough to save you without removing my underwear?!"

He didn't let on that he didn't realize that it was all a ruse to discourage Angela. He also didn't let on that he was deeply disappointed. Lord in heaven, the woman who ordered him to follow her was **hot**.

"I think she'll probably back off now. Even Angela doesn't want to compete with _that_ ," she laughed.

He was still standing in front of her with a very obvious hard-on and she had noticed. She stared. He got harder. They had a stand-off. He didn't know Ana well. She was just the girl down the hall. He had noticed, even before today, that she was pretty. Now as she lay on his bed, propped up on her elbows, with her hair flowing down and her blue eyes shining, he wondered how he'd never noticed that she was beautiful, really beautiful.

"Christian, may I ask you a personal question?" she said shyly.

"Yes," he gulped, anything, it's yours.

"You have an erection, right?" Did not see that coming.

"Hmmm….yes. I'm afraid that your previous incarnation was a little overwhelming." He lied. Her current incarnation was killing him, too.

"Okay, this may sound really inappropriate…I mean, downright intrusive but….do you know about 'blowjobs'? She looked from his erection to his eyes, so innocent despite her candor.

"Ah, yes, Ana. I do. I'm a guy. Why do you ask?" His efforts to tamp down his obvious ragger were useless by this point.

"Well, I'm kind of unfamiliar with them and….oh, geez, what am I saying? I must be out of my mind. I am so so sorry. I'm going to go now." She sat up as he held her in her place with his hands on her shoulder.

"Come on. It's a natural thing. No need to be embarrassed. If you have a question, then I'm guessing that you've never experienced such a close acquaintance with a penis?"

"No, I've never given anyone a, hmm, you know, a," at this point she couldn't even say the word and she couldn't even look at him or his pants. She lay back down and stared at the ceiling.

"Are you thinking that you'd like to learn how…as long as there's this erection right in front of you?" he smiled, thinking he'd kill to have her say yes.

"You know, you've come this far with me. You're right here and I'd like to help you overcome this hurdle. Strictly an impersonal and friendship matter. I mean, I do owe you for helping me get rid of Angela. Teaching you how to give a blowjob is the least I can do." God, he thought, I am a real piece of work.

"Really, Christian. You wouldn't mind?" Damn, was she adorable or what?

"No, let's get this lesson going, okay. It is getting late."

"Okay, what should I do first?"

"Well," he said, "since I'm standing here right in front of you, you could sit up and start from there."

Ana did sit up, with him and his hard on practically in her face. She looked puzzled. "What now?" she asked, biting her lip in determination. He was begging the gods of blowjobs to help him hold on.

"Pull my pants down enough to expose my penis."

Ana no longer looked frightened or nervous. She looked like a woman on a mission. He looked like a man about to explode. Ana reached over and swiftly pulled his pajama bottom waistband toward her and down. His erection bounced out and forward, practically swatting her in the face.

"Wow, now is this the usual sort of penis?" Usual? What the hell was she getting at?

"What do you mean, usual?" Christian held his breath. Did she think it was odd or something?

"Well, I mean, I've seen pictures but I don't have any real penis, peni? for comparison.

"Oookay, I gather from glimpses I've had in locker rooms and gym showers that I am somewhat thicker and longer than most others."

"Is that a good thing?" Holy shit.

"Yes, Ana, that is a good thing. At least most women and other guys think so." He was a bit put out that she didn't recognize his superior endowment.

"You don't have to get testy. I'm just asking for research purposes. I have to be prepared for different kinds of these things, you know."

"Of course, sorry. Well, let's begin. Maybe you'd like to examine or explore this body part?"

She actually picked up his cock and sort of pushed it out of the way. "This is the scrotum?"

God help me, he thought, I'm holding on for dear life here.

"Yes, also known as my balls. Any thoughts?" He couldn't help chuckling a little. This was crazy, right? Most women just grabbed on. He couldn't recall anyone ever playing with them and considering them like one would a science experiment.

"They're not what I expected. They're so soft, almost velvety. Do you put lotion on them?"

"No. Although I do use a rather expensive body wash." What the hell am I saying. Suck me, suck me now, please.

"Okay, now what?" asked Ana.

"Well, you could put your hand around the shaft. Yes, like that…and then firmly run your hand up and down."

"Isn't this what guys do when they masturbate?" Ana enquired as she studied his circumcised tip with a smile.

"Yes, only because they can't get their own mouths around their dicks. What's so funny?"

"It's kind of cute. It's like it's wearing a little hat."

Shoot me, shoot me now, he thought.

"Okay, well, to start with you could lick that cute little hat, maybe twirl your tongue around it,

he encouraged, thinking just let me shove this into your mouth, please.

Ana did as he suggested, licking and twirling and playing until he thought he'd go mad. Then, before he went on to suggest she take as much as possible into her mouth, that is exactly what she did. She even folded her lips over her teeth. He looked down in awe as she pushed more and more of his cock back into her mouth. She gagged a couple of time, moved back a bit and took a breath and then pushed again further back into her mouth.

How the hell, he wondered, was she doing this? But then he didn't care anymore. he'd stopped thinking all together. His eyes rolled back in his head. His legs started to shake and he had to lean his hands on her shoulders to stay on his feet. She sucked like a Dyson vacuum while pulling him to the back of her throat, back and forth, back and forth. He had the presence of mind to tell her that he was coming and that if she didn't want a mouth full of cum, she should release him but she didn't seem to hear him.

He exploded down her throat, screaming out his orgasm, maybe her name but maybe just some gibberish. He'd never felt such an earth-shaking release. He jerked several times before he'd finished and then his dick fell out of her mouth and he fell face down on the bed, gasping for breath.

When he finally felt his brain begin functioning again, he lifted his head to look at Ana. She was dabbing daintily at the bits of ejaculate around her mouth with the hem of his t-shirt. When she noticed him staring, she apologized for getting semen on his t-shirt. He tried to speak but all he could do was fall back against the bed again.

Ana got up and disappeared into the bathroom. He could hear her brushing her teeth. Then she came back and excused herself, saying that she didn't want to have strange smelling breath.

She watched him for a while and then finally asked if she'd done okay.

"Okay?" he rasped out, "that was without doubt the best blowjob I've ever had. Are you sure that you've never done that? No, never mind. You would have had to practice on a few dozen guys to get near that good. I gotta ask. You took me to the back of your throat…"

"I couldn't get your entire penis in, tho'. It's too long. Sorry."

"Sorry! Jesus H. Christ. You nearly blew my mind along with my dick! That was your first time?! How did you get me all the way in? You gagged but kept going."

"Oh, I read that guys like that so I practiced with my toothbrush until I didn't gag so much," she smiled, pleased that she'd pleased me. "Of course, your penis is thicker than my toothbrush."

When he could finally sit up, he asked if she was okay….if the taste of his cum was okay.

"It was kind of salty and weird. You know, I've read that what a guy eats affects the taste. You should drink pineapple juice and see if it makes it taste sweet. That would be good."

He stared at her. "Okay, I'll get pineapple juice. What about the rest of the experience? How was that for you?" He held his breath. Please don't say you hated it. Please don't say having my dick in your mouth was disgusting.

"It was kind of cool, you know, watching the effect it was having on you. You know, you're always such a together guy and tonight I got to watch you melt at the sight of my alter ego enticing you away from Angela, esp. when I faked that panty drop! That was hilarious! But then watching you just fall apart when you had your orgasm…I almost forgot that I had a mouthful of semen to swallow. It was neat." She beamed.

Neat. Blowing him was neat. She had practiced with a toothbrush. He should drink pineapple juice. He was blissfully content, stunned and exhausted.

He went into the bathroom, brushed his teeth, cleaned up and left one dim light on in case she needed to get up in the night. That she would spend the night with him was a given. He couldn't imagine her walking out the door.

She was already lying on the bed on his pillow. She was smack in the middle of his king sized mattress. He got another pillow out of his closet and lay down on the edge of the bed. While he wanted her there, he didn't know why… he was used to sleeping alone, in the middle, but he was too dead tired to care.

Something woke him up. He blinked and tried to get his bearings. Oh, yeah, He wasn't alone. He realized that he was in the middle of the bed and that Ana was curled up against him. She was also topless. He had his arm around her bare back as she burrowed into his chest. Her leg was flung over his legs. Okay, he was curious about the disappearance of his t-shirt but this wasn't unpleasant. Not unpleasant at all. He closed his eyes.

The dawn was just peeking through the edges of his black-out curtains when he realized that he was awake again. Ana had moved and was on her back next to him. He realized that he preferred her closer. Then he realized that she moved and was still moving. She was breathing hard with her head moving side to side. Her whole body, in fact, was trembling. She moaned and mumbled 'no' over and over. "Hurts, no." He reached over instinctively to gather her into the safety of his arms. Her forehead was damp; tendrils of hair sticking to it. In the dim light he could see tears on her cheeks.

He suddenly felt a kind of fear new to him…fear for someone else. Ana was somewhere else. She was in a bad place and someone was hurting her. He wrapped his arms around her, kissed her forehead. It was too warm. He rocked her and sang to her. Somehow he knew that at that moment, Ana was a small child. Someone had hurt her. He wondered how many nights she had nightmares and she was all alone.

She stopped shaking and muttering. She curled into him again and sighed contentedly. They both fell back to sleep.

There was a delicious aroma in the air so he turned to Ana to nuzzle her hair. Except he found himself alone in the bed. That was nothing new. He was always alone in the bed. He stayed at women's houses…not the other way around. He'd found that if he allowed a woman to stay over, she was very hard to get rid of the next day. Uh, oh. And Ana was in the kitchen making breakfast.

He hopped out of bed and brushed his teeth. There on the table was a big bowl full of scrambled eggs and bacon, a plate of pancakes and a thermos with hot coffee. Next to it was a note from Ana thanking him for last night's lesson and offering breakfast with her gratitude.

He fell into a chair. A beautiful woman rescued him from a predator, gave him the blowjob to end all blowjobs, made him breakfast and then got the hell out of his way. It was like his dream date. Wasn't this what he wanted?

When there came a knock at the door, he almost didn't get up to answer. Just to be on the safe side, he checked the peephole for a visit from Angela. Then he pulled the door open, pulled the girl into the room and clamped his mouth on hers while shutting the door with his other hand.

"Thank god, you came back," he said, as he lost all his breath kissing her.

When he finally pulled his mouth off of hers, and his tongue out of her, he looked into her blue eyes. She looked startled. "Um, yes, I didn't mean to leave with your t-shirt. I laundered it but you'll have to hang it up to dry. The dryer downstairs was occupied."

He stared at her. "That's why you're here? To return my t-shirt?"

"I didn't want you to think that I was stealing it," Ana said, blinking at him in shock. "I didn't wake you, did I? You were starting to stir so I hoped that I timed breakfast correctly. Did you like it? I figured that you must like those things because you had them."

"Why did you leave?" He demanded to know.

Ana looked perplexed. "Well," you know, "I know that guys don't like girls to hang around after casual sex and I fell asleep so when I woke up, I felt terrible for imposing on you so I made breakfast while you were waking up. Then, when I got home, I realized that I'd absconded with your clothing, too. I feel terrible about bothering you again but…" she trailed off, confused. Why had he kissed her like that? Was that a casual good morning kiss? Why did he seem angry with her?

"Hmm...I've done something to make you upset. I'm sorry. You wanted to work last night, didn't you? I took advantage of your gratitude and made you teach me blowjobs instead of just leaving you and then I hung around. I feel terrible. I'm not usually so thoughtless and rude. I took advantage of your kindness," she couldn't seem to stop talking. Her eyes just got bigger and bigger.

"Ana, Ana," I just dragged you in here and kissed you like a man possessed. Do I seem angry with you?" He demanded, suddenly realizing that he did indeed seem angry with her. She looked at him with something akin to fear.

He embraced her firmly but gently. "No, Ana. I'm not at all angry with you. I'm sorry. I was just surprised to find you gone. I didn't want you to be…unless, that's what you wanted. You weren't in the way. I slept better than I usually do. Thank you for all you did for me last night and for breakfast this morning." Had he said enough? He felt confused himself. To his great relief, she smiled at him and kissed him softly. "I wasn't an intrusion, then?" she asked tentatively.

"No. You were a wonderful surprise and a natural genius at fellatio," he grinned. He decided to keep her nightmare to himself. Neither of them said anything either about her being topless. He pulled her into the kitchen. "I'm going to pop all this into the oven to reheat it. I have a toaster hidden in this cabinet somewhere so we can have toast, too. Do you like toast?"

"You go ahead. I've already eaten." Ana said. Somehow he doubted her but decided not to push it. They sat at the table with Ana pretending to eat a bit of scrambled egg. She seemed to have something on her mind but she didn't want to discourage him from eating so she kept quiet.

"Ana, say it. I really think that we've gone beyond polite conversation," he tried to reassure her.

It was bothering him to see her so nervous. He reached across the table and took her hand. He said nothing, just looked at her. She blushed as he stared at her. "Christian, I've never been kissed the way you kissed me this morning." Her face was red.

"Do you mean with my tongue in your mouth?" he asked her gently. "Yes. Um, what did that mean?" she asked with her eyes down.

"It meant that I was very happy to see you and needed to get really close. You see, I thought you'd left and weren't coming back and I wanted to see you, badly. You've never been kissed passionately? Did you like it?" He held his breath.

Ana looked thoughtful and then sighed heavily. "Christian, I know so little and have so little experience. I listen to other girls and pretend that I'm just discrete when I'm really just stupid and embarrassed. I pulled off that act last night in front of Angela just because I wanted to be brave enough to protect you from her. I tried to get my roommate to do it but she said that you were a big boy and if you didn't want Angela, you could handle yourself."

"How did _you_ know that I couldn't?" He felt a little embarrassed himself that he couldn't handle Angela.

"You have a reputation for being smart and savvy so no could see how uncomfortable you were…including Angela, I guess. I think that she really thought that you just needed some encouragement. You aren't the first boy I've seen her bulldoze. And then, I guess being so brave about playing a femme fatale carried over into being brave enough to pretend that I was nonchalant about…um... intimacies. When I woke this morning, I wanted to crawl out of here as fast as possible. I certainly didn't dream that you would be happy to see me again."

"When you weren't here," he said, "I was disappointed and that was a first for me. I don't have sex in my own bed usually because I want the freedom to get up and leave. But, today, Ana, I wanted you here."

"You did?" Ana looked up into Christian's grey eyes with her own blue eyes. "Then in that case  
Christian, I have something to ask of you. I've given this a lot of thought. I woke up a while before you and I thought how easy you made it for me last night. I know that you don't want to have a serious relationship with anyone. You said recently that as soon as you finish this upcoming semester and have your Masters in Business, you intend to take up your father's offer to help you start your own company. I have another year to complete so you'll go back to Seattle and I'll be here so we'll have to bid each other adieu. No expectations and no hard feelings."

"Ana, this is a very big bush you're beating around. I want you to feel comfortable in saying anything to me."

"It's something I want to ask of you. It is a really big 'ask', Christian. "You must promise me that you'll not hesitate to be honest with me."

"All right. I promise."

Ana blushed deeply and it seemed to be taking everything in her to speak.

She took a long, ragged breath and then burst out with it…"I would like you to teach me how to be a sexual creature."

"I know that I am already way behind. I've never met anyone with whom I've wanted to experience sex. I'm afraid that someday I'll meet the man I want to be with but I'll be too scared and too afraid to admit to him that I know nothing and he'll walk away and I'll be alone. Or worse, we'll have sex and I'll be terrible at it and he'll want someone better."

He had tried to imagine what she planned to say and _this_ wasn't it. "Ana, don't you want to share your first time with a man you love? I'm just some guy down the hall who had the gall to use you for a great blowjob. You deserve love. You deserve the best…not a cad who's going to leave you high and dry in six months. Girls tend to fall for their first and you'll get your heart broken."

Ana nodded, blinking back tears. "You're right, of course. It isn't fair of me to put you in the position of wasting your last semester on a clueless virgin. You'll be so overwhelmed with work come next summer and this is the last semester you'll be able to sow your wild oats. Once you start your business, the carefree days of picking up girls for one night stands will be over."

What? They will?

"It isn't fair of me," Ana continued, "to ask you to use your extra time to tutor me. You deserve girls who know what to do and can give you unburdened pleasure."

Unburdened pleasure. God, she was as cute as all get out.

"I wasn't thinking clearly or fairly. Besides, I know how to give a blowjob and I learned this morning what it feels like to be French-kissed. And all the other girls are on birth control and I've read that boys prefer to have condom-free sex. I guess, I just got carried away because you are such a nice guy."

Nice guy. This girl does not know me _at all_ , he thought.

"I sincerely apologize for trying to take advantage of your good nature.

Well, I have an English Lit paper due…on D. , no less. Ironic, eh?"

As he sit stunned, Ana smiled easily at him, kissed his cheek and thanked him for 'everything'. "I'll be watching for your first Forbes cover. I know that you'll be a great success. Perhaps we'll see each other in the library sometime. Goodbye."

As he sat at the kitchen table, watching her walk out his door, he tried to identify the ache in his chest. And suddenly, he couldn't keep his breakfast down. He sat on the bathroom floor, leaning against the toilet. The pounding in his head was almost unbearable. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had such a bad stress headache.

Eventually, he crawled into his bedroom and found his phone.

"Hi, dad, yeah, everything is fine. Just a lot of work to finish up. I thought maybe we could talk for a little while about the business, you know. Sometimes, I get so caught up in school I forget to keep my eyes on the prize."

 **ANA**

Ana held it together until she made it back to her apartment. Fortunately, her roommate had finished the quarter early and was able to take some time off to go to the Bahamas with her well-to-do family. She was a generous girl and had wanted Ana to come along but Ana tried to stay in the habit of being independent. Besides, she couldn't take time from either of her part-time jobs. Her scholarship paid for other things school-related but she needed to pay for her living expenses. Three majors were backbreaking and her scholarships required her to main at least a B average so there wasn't much time for anything extra.

What could she have been thinking asking Christian to use what precious extra time he had to teach her about sex? She felt like such a selfish fool. She had seen him leaving bars with girls, a different pretty girl every time. He was not only a rich boy. He was also known to be highly intelligent, ambitious and great in the sack, as the girls who gossiped about him put it. For all the time she'd known him, he'd never been seen with the same girl twice…not that girls like Angela hadn't tried to put their brand on him. Until Angela decided on him, he'd been successful at dodging clingers. Angela, however, was rich, beautiful and felt entirely deserving of the Christian Grey's of the world. It had, no doubt, been quite a shock to learn that he was taken by an unknown, a mystery woman. Angela would never take notice of a mousy girl like Ana and would probably spend Grey's last semester trying to find her.

Back at her empty apartment, Ana forced back disappointment and tears. Unlike Christian she had no one to call to help her keep her eyes on the prize. Her father was a patient in a mental facility, having burnt out all his brain cells using drugs and drinking liquor most of his life. He didn't recognize Ana and hadn't for many years. Her mother and #5 lived in South Carolina. They did little more than drink brandy and play golf. #5 was older than Ana's mother and had expectations that Ana would graduate, move to Myrtle Beach and take care of both as they aged.

Ana considered herself to be plain, boring and of little interest to anyone but not fitting in to greater social circles was of no concern to her anyway. With her three majors, she hoped to have a career in publishing one day. She wanted to find promising authors and perhaps become one herself. Her talent for recognizing good writing was, in fact, what had resulted in her introduction to Christian Grey, otherwise known as #506. She worked as a teaching assistant for a professor who held seminars for those business majors whom he believed to be exceptional. Without Grey's knowledge, his work had been assigned to the scrutiny of teaching assistant Anastasia Steele. She had, even before meeting the enigmatic and exceedingly handsome Mr. Grey, met his work and persuaded the professor to take a special interest in his business writing. To maintain anonymity, the professors' students were known to her only by code numbers. Without her editing and promotion, Grey would not be doing as well as he was in the business department. She didn't know which coded number he was nor did he know who it was who made his work look so good. They'd only shared some company in a bar a few nights, two among many of the professor's prized circle.

Grey was unaware that Ana had published several books under a pseudonym as a way of paying her father's bills. In Ana's view they were only mystery romance novels which made for easy commercial success and that was their only purpose…to appeal to the largest audience and make the greatest necessary amount of money. She had no idea, of course, that her audience included many in Grey's family and social circle. She took no pride, really, in her work. Her roommate helped with the necessary sex scenes and Ana paid her for her help. The books were just a means to an end.

 **CHRISTIAN**

"Yeah, Dad, I agree with you about Rogers Telecommunications. However, the feelers I put out give me the impression that old man Rogers isn't quite ready to let go of his last division. I can't blame the guy. He's nearly 70, his kids are grown and have other ambitions and now he's a widower. His company is all he has left. He probably doesn't know what he'll do with himself. I think it's safe to wait a few more months 'til he's ready to really talk.

School's okay but I'll be happy to get out of here. I think I've even met my first hire, yeah." Christian laughed, "she's a tiny thing but really ballsy, Dad. She says just what's on her mind and you'd better be ready to defend your position if you disagree. I think she'd make a great COO. Her name is Ros and I've already talked to her about the business. Her family is from Seattle, too, which is great for her but her girlfriend is from the Boston area so….there could be some blowback there.

Yeah, my grades are good. There's really only one class I'm slogging through…it's a business writing class. I know, I know, Dad. I've gotten the lecture about the importance of writing to my advantage and understanding the proposals put in front of me. It's just so boring and besides, I'll probably have Ros do all that. Don't bite my head off! I trust Ros and I'm sure that I'll pick it up as I go. Besides, the professor is a real tight ass. Doesn't let me get away with a thing. My papers just bleed red ink. I don't get it. I've seen the work of some of my classmates and next to them I'm a friggin' genius."

Christian spent another hour talking to his dad about business. Lord, he just could not wait to get through his next semester and get out into the world, to be his own man, to make his fortune. The rest of his classmates were excited about going to work for prestigious companies like Google, Apple or Microsoft….they couldn't wait to be able to say that they worked for Bill Gates. Christian snickered. He couldn't wait to be able to say that he'd bested Gates in a deal.

Because he had no future employer to impress, Christian's grades were of much less importance to him. Still, he'd always aced everything and so his B average in Business Writing 103 was a source of real irritation. He fuckin' loathed his professor's TA, the one person standing between him and the 'A' he believed he deserved. He was going to find out who that TA was and see what it took to 'change' his point of view.

He figured that the TA was a pompous, pretentious little prick who enjoyed his speck of power over the students accomplished enough to be chosen to be in this professor's seminar.

The next day Christian received notice to report to his business writing professor's office. "Oh, here we go," he grimaced to himself.

Professor Thompson's office was like all the rest, Christian thought with scorn. A mess of papers, piles of books, dusty….all part of the image. Thompson indicated a chair as he himself settled himself behind his desk.

"So, Mr. Grey, I'll get right to the point. You were invited to be part of this seminar on the recommendation of another teacher who is familiar with your ambition to start your own company upon completion of your degree. Because you are the only student, that I know of, who has entrepreneurial intentions, I chose as my TA for this seminar the finest writer I know. I wanted you to have the benefit of this person's talents. However, you consistently ignore her corrections, suggestions and advice regarding your writing. It is confounding. Something as simple as suggesting that you proofread, you ignore. I am baffled, Mr. Grey, as to why someone who wishes to succeed in the business world would go against the advice of experts. When you someday consider acquiring a company, will you ignore the tax analysts you employ or your legal department when they try to share their expertise with you? Judging by the work you've turned in since beginning this class, you could be taken in a deal over an ice cream truck."

Ouch! Thought Christian…and did he say 'her'? There were no female students in BW 103.

"No disrespect intended toward your TA or your judgement in selecting 'her' but shouldn't someone judging my work at least be a business student at my level, Professor," I snidely suggested.

"The young lady correcting the class work is an accomplished writer, Mr. Grey."

"What do you mean? She isn't even a business major?!"

"Not that is your business who I choose, Mr. Grey but she has already completed her business major and is now finishing up 2 others. It is you who are not in her league, Mr. Grey, not the other way around!"

"Now," he bellowed, "here is your latest mess. You have 2 days to do a rewrite. Just follow the bouncing balls, Mr. Grey. My TA has done all the work for you. Get your head out of your arrogant ass and do the work!"

Christian was dragging himself back down the hall to his apartment when he saw Ana heading his way. She'd probably spent the last 12 hours in the library. She smiled at him brightly with tired blue eyes and as she reached him, he found himself dropping his backpack and enveloping her in his arms. After he'd spent several minutes holding her tightly, she pulled her face back, looked into his darkening grey eyes and then playfully bumped his nose with hers.

"You seem unhappy. Anything I can do to help?"

"Yes. Ana, stay with me tonight?"

 **LIFE CHANGES**

What the fuck had he done!?

His prof had told him to get his "head out of your arrogant ass and do the work!" So he had promptly gone home and gotten his head not into a book but in between Ana's legs, all over her breasts, her mouth and anywhere else he could. If that wasn't enough, he'd thoroughly enjoyed it like nothing else he'd ever enjoyed in his life. He'd been with dozens of women and no one had come close to making him feel the way he did being with Ana. He'd explored and played with every inch of her, getting harder with every little moan and ah and giggle and omg that she uttered.

As he nuzzled between the softest breasts he'd ever known, she ran her fingers through his hair and he'd felt a peaceful trance-like euphoria come over him. When she called out his name as he licked and sucked her and used his fingers to massage her g-spot, he felt the need to kiss her deeply. With other women he considered that he'd "taken care" of their needs, it was only fair, after all, and then on to the big finish. With Ana he needed to kiss her, look into her eyes. And with other women he thrusted solely with the purpose of reaching his climax, feeling great and then getting his clothes on to get out as fast as decently possible and oh, sure, of course, he'd call tomorrow. Right.

With Ana he needed to be close, as close as possible. He needed to be buried inside of her, to be part of her. To his surprise, his innocent little virgin was begging him to go faster and harder but he wanted to go slower, deeper, never leave and if his body hadn't had other ideas, he'd have never come. He wanted to stay where it was safe and full of peace. As it was, he wrapped his arms and legs tightly around Ana and stayed inside her. As they lay on their sides, he ran his hands over her legs, her ass, her back, in her hair, her shoulders. His hand embraced her face as he held his forehead against hers and breathed in her scent. He couldn't stop placing his lips on her cheeks, her nose, her forehead…nuzzling her neck.

Ana sighed as he kissed her mouth for the hundredth time and stared into her blazing blue eyes…"is this the way it always is when people make love, Christian?" Before he could answer, she fell asleep. He finally pulled out of her but then he lay there watching her for a long time until he, too, slept. When he woke, she was curled against his chest with his arms holding her close.

He clasped her tighter and, with her head tucked under his chin, kissed her hair. Geez, when had he ever felt this good? What the hell was going on with him? Ok, ok, he said to himself. Let's get a grip. He slipped away from her, holding her was not helping to clear his head. Was it because she was a virgin? Was there some extra thrill in that? No, that couldn't be it. He'd fucked virgins. They were silly and shy and it was extra messy. He didn't feel like a lot of guys who seemed proud of their conquest. He was just looking for a good fuck, that's all.

Come to think of it…where was the mess? She was a virgin, wasn't she? But there was no blood on the sheets and her reaction when he'd entered her was pleasure, not pain. 'Course, she'd never said that she _was_ a virgin, only that she wasn't a sexual creature so maybe she just meant that she was relatively inexperienced. Well, this was confusing. He wasn't sure how he felt about some other guy having been here first. It bothered him that it bothered him. Why should he care?

Then, as he lay staring at the ceiling, Ana began to stir. Looking at her, he realized that she was extremely pale and clammy. She writhed about, tears coming down her cheeks. As he reached for her, she tried to push him away, crying ''no, no, hurts." And the voice, it wasn't that of an adult. It was that of a child, a very young child.

Even as she tried to push him away, he held tighter and spoke to her softly, telling her that she was safe, that he wouldn't let anyone hurt her. She was breathing so hard and fast, it was scaring him. It took several minutes to calm her and that seemed to be more because she was exhausted. And then she folded into him, shivering for several more minutes.

As he held her and rocked her, muttering soothingly, he wondered how she got through her nights usually. She must just ride it out until she woke up or exhausted herself until she fell back to sleep. My god…what had happened to her, to that tiny child whose voice he heard. In the moment, tho' he didn't realize it at the time, he'd already made the decision that he'd be there from now for those nightmares, to help her through them.

 **THE LIBRARY**

Damn. Why was BW 103 riding him so hard? He'd usually breeze through most classes. He prided himself on his 4.+ grade point average. What was so damn hard about composing an acquisition proposal?

Ana sat across from him, serenely proofing her D. thesis. She looked up at Christian, holding his head in his hands. She could practically see the veins popping in his neck. She reached into her bag…Christian called it her Mary Poppin's satchel…for a bottle of water and 2 headache pills. She slid them over to Christian who popped the pills, drank the water and then reached for Ana's hand to squeeze and kiss.

He sighed and then started writing again. "You know," he griped, "I'd always planned on sticking Ros with all this crap."

"Hmmm," replied Ana with raised brows.

"What does that mean?" he snarled.

"What does what mean?" she smiled back. Then she laughed quietly. "Ok, it's just an expression of surprise, that's all."

He looked up at her. "And this," he pointed to his face, "is an expression of exasperation with one's girlfriend being enigmatical."

Ana giggled. "You are so alpha-male, you're practically a gorilla. So, it is surprising that you would yield such an important business job to your #2 who will only pass it on down to her #2 who will then return it to you for your signature without your understanding every nuance of said business proposal. You're gonna get taken to da cleaners, my friend."

He couldn't help smiling at her. He loved it when she teased him. He intimidated most people, even the majority of his professors. But the more he growled, the more she laughed. And when he was at his foulest, she's rub his arm and kiss his cheek. She knew his heart and that he'd never hurt her.

"You're right. I've just never had a class kick my ass like this one. That TA of Thompson's won't let a coma get past her."

"Maybe that's because a coma in the wrong place on a contract could totally screw the deal. Maybe because being an expert at writing and understanding business papers can mean the success or failure of a deal. You mind some advice?" asked Ana.

Christian looked at her, waiting. He'd figured out that she was probably smarter than him and that she was also probably the only person in his life who could have him tolerate that fact.

"I moved around a lot in elementary school, sometimes 2 or 3 times in a school year. It was really hard to keep up until a smart teacher assigned me to teach a class in geography. I had to learn everything before the rest of the class so that I could teach it to them. It not only gave me confidence but having to learn something well enough to teach it to others made me learn it better than everyone else.

Perhaps if you go at this assignment with the idea that you have to teach it…"

Between being consumed with school and making love to Ana, Christian hadn't had time for a lot of important conversations about their lives. Hearing that she'd moved sometimes 2 to 3 times in a school year reminded him that there was so much that he didn't know about her. They'd never talked about her nightmares and those worried him. There had been several nights that they'd slept apart because he pulled all-nighters in the library and each morning he could see the weariness in Ana. She would wake up from the nightmare and then study the rest of the night.

"So, try this method on me. Tell me how to write this proposal."

So they sat there for 2 more hours. He talked. She asked questions. He explained. She argued. He defended.

He had always been fortunate in not needing as much sleep as most. Five hours a night and he was set. Ana could easily sleep 10 and finally feel rested. How, he wondered, did she manage 2 jobs and 3 majors? And now she was usually with him between classes and at nights; she was, in effect, on his schedule. It wasn't fair, he understood, but he seemed to need her around. Most nights, he'd insist that she sleep in his bed while he worked at the kitchen table or sitting up in bed next to her, working on his laptop. He seemed to work faster and more efficiently with Ana nearby. She calmed him. He'd lose his temper, be ready to toss his Mac across the room and then he'd look down at her and relax. She never complained when he woke her for sex. She'd just smile and sort of hum as she pulled him into her arms.

Now, as he finished his work with her help, he noticed her eyes were tired. She rubbed them like a little girl. He tucked his laptop in his backpack, threw her satchel around his neck and his arm around her shoulder and they started the walk home. He had less than ½ a semester to go and he'd be leaving for Seattle where he would be immersed in beginning his company while Ana was immersed in finishing her final year at Harvard.

Long distance was tough on a relationship. Perhaps they should break up and then see where they were next year. It was not a conversation that he was looking forward to having.

 **THE CONVERSATION**

"I'll be pretty busy finishing up my Lit and finance majors. Then I have 2 jobs plus TAing for Professor Thompson."

Oh, yeah, that had been a doozy of a convo. She'd informed the prof early on that she was dating his favorite and most aggravating student. She'd offered to give up her teaching assistant position but Professor Thompson had insisted that he trusted her. For the sake of appearances, however, he relieved her of one of her students. He, himself, would take on Mr. Grey's work which had finally become top-notch.

It hadn't gone as smoothly with Christian. "YOU are the pompous, pretentious little prick who's been riding my ass all semester?" However, he'd gotten over it. He had to concede, after all, that she was right about every pompous, pretentious thing she'd picked at him about. He felt a lot more confident now about handling the business of business papers. Still, it was hard to reconcile that his sweet Ana was the one coming after him for all his screw ups.

"You'll be working dawn to dusk on your business. Be sure to stop and take a walk around the block every now and then and don't forget to eat regular meals. You'll have to stay sharp. You'll be only 23, Christian, and will have to really know your stuff to impress all the seasoned business people you'll be working against. They won't like you at all. They'll try to take advantage just to put you in your place. Don't be fooled when they're nice to you. Be certain to know the difference between sincere and phony. I doubt you'll meet many fair and sincere competitors. The "baby businessman" will be a target."

Yep. That was the conversation. Not a complaint about being left behind or how would she sleep without him. She'd miss him, she knew, but she'd been on her own all her life except for these last few months and, of course, she still had Kate.. He figured that she'd cry and then move on.

He promised to fly back whenever he could but they both knew that it wasn't likely that they'd find a compromise in their schedules. He offered to stick around for the next year while she finished but she vetoed that.

He'd only been with her a few months but he already knew that without her he was at sea. He didn't understand how he'd become so dependent. He'd always been an island. People came to him and he allowed them some of his precious time if he could. He couldn't walk from class to class without girls surrounding him. Guys wanted to be his best buddy. When he needed a tension reliever, he'd stop at the nearest student bar and wait for the prettiest girl to flirt with him and then accept her invitation to show him her room.

Now he tried to meet up with Ana as often as possible and even arm in arm with her, he'd still be surrounded by girls as if Ana wasn't there. It irked the hell out of him but she was unfailingly polite and kind to all of them. He'd leave her alone at their library table while he visited the men's room and come back to find ½ dozen girls talking about him as if Ana had just wandered in off the street and sat down at the wrong table.

The ones he'd fucked would want Ana to tell them why he'd want her and not them. She'd just shrug. Sometimes she'd tell someone that she was a very pretty girl and one of those told Ana that there was just no accounting for taste.

If it was Ana who'd left the table, she'd return to find every seat taken so she reach over to get her things and move to an empty table, followed by Christian. When he'd apologize, she'd laugh and tell him he was drop dead gorgeous and he knew it. In fact, the only time he'd seen her upset was after she'd been approached by Angela who informed Ana that she was moving to Seattle and Christian would need a wife who had connections and could help him get ahead. He'd wanted to go after Angela for that but Ana had stopped him, telling him that that was exactly what Angela was hoping for.

As the time for Christian to leave grew closer, he found it hard to sleep. He'd stay awake, watching Ana. He'd keep an eye out for signs of her nightmares starting so he could sooth her back to sleep before it got bad. If she didn't have time to make his breakfast, he didn't eat. Until she came to bed with him, he didn't sleep.

It was going to be a very long, long year.

 **HEADING HOME**

As summer vacation commenced, Christian and Ana hit the road. They had a wonderful time camping their way across the 3000+ miles between Boston and Seattle. They took a lot of detours to see famous sites and they chose camp sites near water as often as they could manage. Christian talked about the boat he'd have someday. Ana pointed out the locales of some of the many foster homes she'd lived in. The time and distance gave them the chance to learn a lot of each other's history.

Ana's father had deserted the family when she was a year old and she'd reconnected only when she'd learned of his illness. When Christian asked why she felt the obligation to care for him, she only shrugged and said that he had no one else. She told him that her mother had remarried several times and was currently with #5 somewhere in Myrtle Beach. Husband #3 had taken to beating her, careful to leave marks that could be covered by clothes. He'd once punched her so hard in her little 6 year chest that she'd stopped breathing so he'd carried her down the street to the fire station where they'd saved her life. Since then she'd had to learn to be calm or her heart's rhythm would go out of whack.

Then, one night, while camped by the side of a stream, he'd summoned the courage to ask about her nightmares. Seemingly without emotion, she explained that one night, on her 7th birthday, #3 had gotten very drunk and told her that she was a pretty little girl and that boys would be coming after her. Thus, he was going to prepare her so she knew what to expect. Then he'd forced her legs apart and pushed the neck of his beer bottle, still with jagged cap attached, up inside of her over and over. She'd passed out and when her mother got home from her waitressing job and saw all the blood, she knew this one couldn't be explained by a fall down the stairs. #3 was arrested and Ana had to go to court to testify. He'd been sent to jail where she guessed he must still be. Ordered by the court to take parenting classes, her mother instead had fled and they had worked their way across the country. When boyfriend #4 had left her in the middle of the interstate when she asked to use a restroom, her mother was finally forced to put her daughter in foster care and that's where she stayed until she was 18. She explained nonchalantly that if the parent refuses to give up their parental rights, the state tends to move a child around a lot. She couldn't recall how many foster homes she'd been in, tho'. She felt lucky because for the last 3 she'd lived with Kate and that was where she spent holidays and vocations. They were very good to her. She hadn't seen her mother since she was 8 but once in a while Ana would call. Mom had stuck, tho', with #5.

Christian held her close, both of them wrapped in a blanket as they watched their campfire glow.

Ana smiled up at him and said that she wanted to hear all about his childhood and his family but she was afraid that she was falling asleep. He said "tomorrow then" and they climbed into their double sleeping bag and Ana was out like a light. Which was good…because Christian was bawling like a baby. No wonder there'd been no blood, no pain when he thought he'd broken her hymen. She'd been raped at the age of 7 with a beer bottle by her mother's drunken boyfriend. Was he also responsible for the small scars Christian found on her body and the burn marks he'd seen on her stomach. In the morning he'd call his dad and find this guy. He'd make sure that #3 never stopped paying.

The next day, as they cruised down I-90 through South Dakota, Grey told Ana something of his story. There wasn't, in his view, much to say about the life of a rich and much loved son of a doctor and an attorney. He had two siblings…an adopted older brother, Elliot and a younger sister, Mia.

They'd traveled the world and spent a lot of time on his parent's boat. Didn't everybody take vacation trips several times a year? He was almost embarrassed to talk about his life. It was so privileged and secure, esp. next to the horror story that Ana had lived. He didn't have to work to get through Harvard. Heck, he didn't even have to work to get into Harvard. He was a legacy.

Ana explained that hers was a probationary entry. She didn't have a lot of extracurriculars with which to impress admission officials. However, she did have a better than 4.0 average thanks to taking some college level courses and, she laughed, her sad familial history. She also, of course, had a scholarship. She'd applied for and received scholarships to several universities but Harvard offered a full ride so, of course, she had to take it.

But, go on, she said, tell me more about your family. So, he told her that Elliot was an architect and a builder. This she found fascinating and said that she couldn't wait to talk to him. What about Mia? What does she do?

Well, Christian sighed, his baby sister did a lot….of shopping. She'd received a degree from a culinary institute in Paris but had done nothing with it. She still lived at home and went out with her girlfriends a lot. Neither sibling was married or serious with anyone…to his parent's despair. Elliot was 27 and showed no signs of easing up on his manwhore ways. Mia was newly in love every other week with some of the most useless and creepiest dudes on the planet. His parents were nervous about Christian's plans to build his own business. It seemed a long shot to them and they were prepared to waste a lot of money.

Ana was impressed that they were giving Christian the money to get started and proud that he planned to pay them back. She had never expressed a doubt that he would succeed. She just assumed he would. From the beginning, she listened to him talk about his plans and, of course, she read about them in BW 103 and she showed no more surprise about his chances of success than she did about her friend's choice to teach in pre-school. It was simply what he was going to do. He tried to warn her that building a business took a long time and a lot of hours and that the whole thing was a long shot but she wasn't discouraged. It took a long time to write a book, too, even the simple ones she wrote, so she understood middle of the nights and weekends devoted to work.

'the simple ones you wrote', he gaped at her. "You've written a book?" he asked impressed.

"A few, actually, but they were really just cheap paperback romance/adventures. I needed the money to help pay for my father's hospitalization. I currently owe the publisher two more for the advance money they sent to the institute so I'll have to set aside a couple of weekends soon."

She was so casual about it. "Of course, thanks to you, I'll be able to get through them faster now that I know more about sex. I used to have to ask Kate, my roommate, a lot of questions for the sex scenes. I bet I could write even better ones now. You're _a lot_ better than my previous romantic heroes.

"You've been published, too?" he gasped.

Ana laughed. "It isn't as impressive as it sounds, Christian. They're just cheap paperback novels like the ones you find in grocery stores. But they're easy and fast to read. Mostly women readers. You know, women who have to wait around in laundry mats or who want something to help them get to sleep at night. That sort of thing. They don't have the time or energy to read heavier things. My publishers have been after me for more and sexier novels but I haven't had the time. Like I told you, Kate writes the sex parts for me and then I trim them down to more palatable stuff."

"What do you mean by 'palatable'?, Christian was now intrigued.

"Well, real sex isn't like the stuff in these kinds of novels. Women want romance and tenderness. They don't want to read about guys grunting and wet spots and all the nitty gritty of sex. You know, guy mounts woman and when he dismounts, the wet spot is always right where she's sleeping."

"That's why you get a king size bed," laughed Christian…so you can both move away from the wet spot. When you and I first had sex, you fell asleep right away. I tried to move you away from what I figured would be both ejaculate and blood. I was really perplexed that there wasn't any blood." "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."

"It's okay, Christian. It's really kind of a distant memory, buried away. Sometimes I can feel the little scar from the stitches and the memory hits but it's gone quickly. I'm a lucky girl. I have a real good life.

Christian," Ana said quietly, "I'm sorry about the bad dreams. I do this little exercise in my brain that a doctor taught me. Each night I recite over and over that tonight I will have good dreams. It doesn't work all the time. Kate's woken me a few times because I was screaming. I feel badly about that. You've never said anything but I'll bet I've awoken you, haven't I?"

"All that bothers me about them is that you have them and I know that you're right back there again, being hurt again. And until the other night, I didn't realize how bad the experience had been.

Ana, do you remember his name?"

Ana thought for a moment. "Stephen and I think his last name began with an M but I'm not sure. Mostly I called him mister and sir. Now tell me more about your family. Do you have grandparents, too?"

She sounded so excited about the idea of grandparents, she made Christian smile.

"Yeah, dads are gone but my moms are still hale and hearty. Gram and Gramps Trevelyan. All we kids are actually Trevelyan-Greys but we don't use the Trevelyan because it's too long.

My gramps is a lawyer, too, but he was in business so he's taught me everything I know and he'll be a great source of help."

"Is your older brother married? Do you have nieces or nephews?"

"No, remember I told you that my brother is a manwhore?" laughed Christian.

"Oh, well, I thought maybe, you know….." Ana sounded so disappointed.

"We never talked about kids. Do you want kids….someday?" asked Christian.

"Yes, several. How about you?" she replied brightly.

"I don't know. I've never given it much thought. I've never given anything much thought beyond having my own business. Being a father takes a lot of time and energy. So does being a mother."

Ana got very quiet then.

A father. Good grief. Sleepless nights, diapers, crying, fighting, homework. Yikes. If there was an upside, he couldn't see it. And it seemed like every fight that he could ever remember his parents having was over one or more of their kids.

He looked over at Ana. She was sleeping. It was times like this that he wished his car had old-fashioned bench seats. Ana could lie with her head on his leg while he drove. He could reach down and touch her hair and brush her arm. He marveled at how much he needed to be touching her all the time. He had never felt that way about anyone. He loved everyone in his family, esp. his mom…yet he didn't feel the need to keep reaching for her all the time. He didn't get it. It wasn't sexual. It was more like when he was touching her, he was grounded. Everything felt steady and sure. Walking around campus, sitting in their rooms…he always had to be touching her. In the library, they'd either sit next to each other shoulder to shoulder or reaching across the table to hold hands or their feet entwined. If anyone had told him before Ana, that one day he meet a girl and he wouldn't be able to walk 10 feet without holding her hand or having his arm around her, he would have thought they were nuts. He saw couples around campus all the time and they just walked side by side mostly but not he and Ana. He had to be connected.

 **THE MANSION**

Ana knew, of course, that Christian was born into wealth. His clothes alone told that tale. And his Rolex watch, his Mercedes, his 1000 thread count sheets….everything about him was the finest, the most elegant. Sometimes Ana and her thrift shop clothes seemed ridiculous walking along next to him. Even the girls on campus, all of them envious and baffled by Christian's choice of Ana, mocked her. She didn't care…most of the time. Except once when she'd found a really pretty dress to wear to a campus dance with Christian. He seemed dazzled, proud and jealous of other guys taking notice of his girl, never leaving her side. But he couldn't follow her into the restroom and he didn't hear one of the cattier girls remark that Ana was wearing a dress that she'd recently donated to Goodwill. Then all the girls in the bathroom laughed at her. She held her head up high and thanked the girl, saying that her boyfriend thought she looked beautiful.

Still, it stung. She tried to keep a smile on her face for Christian but he saw her come out of the restroom followed by a gaggle of giggling girls, pointing at her. He wanted to say something to them but Ana wouldn't allow it. So, instead, he pulled her tightly to him in a slow dance, kissing her and nuzzling her neck. That night he made love to her with extra passion and tenderness. He wanted her to know that none of the rest mattered. It was her he loved.

The first time he told her that he loved her, it wasn't his intention. She had just pointed out an error in his work on one of his last papers and he was tired and grouchy and in no mood. He took a deep breath and said that if he didn't love her so much…..

She just stared at him for a moment and went back to her work, acting as if nothing had happened.

But he'd heard the words come out of his mouth and as he looked down at his paper and corrected his error, he realized that he meant what he said and it shocked him….not because he couldn't believe that he felt that way but that he did and it was the easiest thing in the world.

Because how could someone not be in love with Anastasia Rose Steele.

Later, as they strolled slowly back to their apartment complex, Ana spoke, very softly. "Christian, I love you, too. I didn't want you to think that you were alone in this. Ok?"

"Ok," he smiled gently at her. "I guess we're a couple of kids in love, eh?"

"OK," Ana agreed. "One thing, tho', and this is an important thing. I've always been alone and no one has ever said that they loved me so you have to really mean it. You know, not like you love basketball or a good business deal. I mean, I'm talkin' big time, deep in love. So, I gotta know that we're on the same page. You've never lied to me so no sweet talkin' here, ok?"

Christian stopped and turned to face Ana directly. "I, Christian, proclaim my undying, passionate, can't live without you, won't live without you love for you my darling Ana. I look back on my life before you and can't understand how I managed. Without you, I would be lost and I wouldn't care that I was. Life, my big business dreams, nothing would mean a thing without you. I mean it, Ana. I didn't realize how little I had before I had you. I love you."

"Well, ok, then," Ana said so softly he could hardly hear her. She buried her face in his chest and he wrapped his coat around her and bent his head down to kiss hers. Then they walked home.

Now as they drove through Bellevue on the way to his parent's house, Ana was very quiet. He slowed as they approached the gates. Just visible through the trees and hedges stood a grand white mansion. Christian turned to Ana, smiling. She wasn't smiling. Rather, he was alarmed to see that her face was quite pale and she was hyperventilating. He quickly pulled over to the side of the road. He took her face in his hands.

"Look at me, Ana. Look into my eyes." Christian pleaded.

She finally focused, her blue eyes on his grey. She looked terrified.

"Slow your breathing, baby, slow your breathing. Breathe with me. Com'on, with me," begged Christian. She was trying but her eyes were starting to close. Christian swung the car around in front of the gates and pressed the entry buttons. As soon as the gates were open just enough, he squeezed through and laid on the horn as he headed up the drive to the front door. He turned off the engine, ran around and lifted Ana out of the car just as his mother opened the door. He flew in with Ana, yelling for his mother to get her bag. He gently laid Ana on the living room couch and yelled for Gretchen to get a wet rag which he applied to Ana's face. His mother touched her stethoscope to Ana's chest.

"Okay, her heartbeat is awfully fast." Then she wrapped Ana's arm with a blood pressure cuff.

"Pressure is high but coming down. Okay, heart rate is slowing." It's probably a good thing she passed out. Christian, what happened?"

"I don't know for sure. I think she was overwhelmed when she saw the house. She knew I came from a wealthy family but I think it just hit her when she saw the house. She had a childhood injury that throws her heart out of whack when she gets too excited."

"Why don't you take her into the downstairs guestroom? She'll probably sleep for a while now."

Christian picked Ana up, cradling her tightly to him and whispering to her as he carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down, took off her shoes and pulled the duvet around her. Then he sat next to her, gently brushing his hand through her hair.

Grace stood at the door watching with wonder. She'd never seen her son so sweet, so concerned for a girl. "Are you sure that she's okay, Mom?"

"Yes, she'll be fine." Grace reassured her son. Then she saw something else, something very concerning.

"Christian, come out here to the kitchen."

Reluctantly, Christian followed his mother to the kitchen just as his father came in through the garage door. "Christian! Good to have you home, son," Carrick exclaimed. "Thanks, dad. It's good to see you, too. We had a great trip and saw a lot of the northern U.S."

"We? Who's we?" asked Carrick.

"Yes, son. Who is WE!?"

Christian lifted his arm to brush back his hair with both parents suddenly staring at his left hand in alarm.

"Hmmm….the WE would be me and Anastasia Rose Steele…hmmm...Grey…my wife."

 **THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM**

"What the almighty hell have you done?" Carrick's voice rose higher with every syllable.

"Is she pregnant? How far along is she?" His mother's voice began to quaver.

"What does she want? Does she know about your trust fund?" Carrick the lawyer appeared.

"Do her parents know? Have you met them?" Grace was becoming indignant.

"How do you intend to provide for them?" Carrick demanded to know.

"Please keep your voices down. Now I don't like to leave Ana alone when she sleeps. She has nightmares. Also, I'm beat from the drive. I'll be out to talk in a couple of hours. Oh, and yea,"

he beamed as he held up his ring finger, "I'm her husband."

With that Christian turned and walked back down the hall to the bedroom, leaving his parents in the kitchen, looked shocked and appalled. He guessed Ana was right. Surprise was not the right approach.

Ana looked up at him, a small smile on her lips. "Folks not happy?"

"Nope...and full of wrong assumptions."

"They think I'm a gold-digging whore who trapped their son into marriage with a probably fake pregnancy."

"I guess they haven't noticed the happy glow shining off their son just yet. Curl up with me and go back to sleep, baby."

Carrick and Grace sat in the kitchen, contemplating grandparenthood. "Well, it will be nice to have a little one in the house," said Grace, "and at least they're legally married."

"With no prenup," grumbled Carrick. "Did he learn nothing from having a lawyer for a father?"

"She was certainly not well when he carried her in and, Cary, he looked terrified."

"God, I hope he didn't marry an invalid."

"Cary!"

"Just saying. What'd she look like anyhow?"

"Oh, very pretty, very. Long brown hair, lovely face, rather small. 'Course, she was quite pale and her eyes were closed. I was so concentrated on her health that I didn't notice the ring though I suppose if Christian is wearing one, she would be, too.

Carrick, our son is married."

Sometime later Christian opened his eyes to see Ana's blue eyes looking back at him. "I could do this all day," he smiled.

"Me, too. But I think it's time to beard the lion's den. Do we launch in with explanations or sit still and await questions. You know your parents best. Which is their preferred method of interrogation?"

Christian chuckled as he pulled his wife more closely to him.

"Well, right now, my preferred method would be to just lie here like this and grunt yes or no while we kiss."

"Which of the three methods mentioned would make your parents less likely to hate me?"

"First of all, how do you feel? You had me pretty scared."

"I'm sorry. I think as we started to drive through the neighborhood and it hit me that you were RICH, not just well-to-do, I panicked. Even though Kate's parents are well-off, they live much more simply. And then I caught a glimpse of this mansion and I don't know what happened after that. I heard you calling to me from far away and I tried so hard to get to you…"

"Slow down, baby, slow down. You're starting to rev up again. Look at me. Breathe with me. That's it. Good. Now listen. My parents are good people. My mother is a saint. If you were my pregnant girlfriend, she'd still be over the moon. My dad is a lawyer and his first thoughts are always practical."

"Like, am I after your trust fund?"

"Exactly. You let me put him down. You don't have to defend yourself for any reason. Other than coming after me for my money, my parents won't care where you come from, how many polo ponies your family owns, if you belong to the right clubs….all they'll care about is if you're good for me and, baby, you are _so_ good for me. I never dreamed in all my life that I would find someone so good for me. I found the sun, the moon and the stars when I found you. No matter what happens from here on out, as long as I have you, I win." Christian beamed at his Ana and she knew he was telling her the truth.

Christian walked into the kitchen with Ana where his parents sat talking. Ana was wearing a simple white dress with cap sleeves emphasizing her tiny frame, her dark brown hair hanging down and her bright blue eyes smiling. She was strikingly beautiful and she was holding onto one of their son's hands with both of hers. She looked nervous, a little frightened and Carrick had to smile to himself to see his son being so protective. He wisely decided that any serious talk should be later and far from Anastasia's ears. Grace thought she'd never seen any girl who looked like Ana. It wasn't just her beauty. There was a certain quality about her, strong yet fragile.

"Well, are you kids hungry yet? We're having pot roast, Christian's favorite, with red potatoes, onions and carrots, salad and cherry pie for dessert. Ana, what do you like to drink with dinner? We have wine, soda, milk?"

"Oh, just ice water, please." Then, with a slight look from Christian, she asked for a glass of milk as well.

Interesting, thought Grace. She hoped that Christian's strong personality wasn't overwhelming this little thing.

"Christian?"

"Cola, please." Then, with a look from Ana, he added "and a glass of ice water, too."

Oh, thought Grace. This is going to be an interesting night.

"Well, here are your beverages, why don't you take your seats at the table and dinner will be ready soon. I have so many questions. I can hardly wait to hear all about how you met."

"Well, to start, Mr. Grey," Ana began, "I wrote this up. I'm sure that you'd like to get it notarized and filed away." Then she removed something tucked into her belt and slid a neatly typed page of paper over to him.

Christian looked puzzled and curious. "What is that, Ana?"

"Just something I wrote up. I knew it would be important to your father and would start us off on the right foot. Trust."

Carrick studied it carefully. "Did you have a lawyer draw this up, Ana?"

"No, sir. I did it myself. One of my majors was business and I picked up a few things on the side."

Carrick smiled. "I take it that Christian didn't know about this."

"Gosh, no, he would never allow it. However, as it is written, it does not require his signature. I'm sure that he'll object so now it is done."

"What the hell have you done, Anastasia Rose?" enquired Christian.

Grace laughed. "I'll bet that's what your father calls you when you're about to get told off…"

Ana smiled at Christian. "Honey, it's for the best and you know, we'll never need it anyway…at least as long as you behave yourself," she laughed.

"Dad?"

"It is a perfectly written up and completely legal prenuptial agreement that simply says that Ana gets nothing from your marriage except what she brings into it and any support necessary for any children from the marriage. I couldn't have written a better one myself. You're a very smart young woman." Carrick smiled, holding the document. "This would, indeed, hold up in any court of law."

At that point, Christian leaned across the table, grabbed the paper out of his father's hands and looked at it in horror. "You did this without telling me?" he glared down at Ana. "You thought I'd allow this?"

"I anticipated your disapproval but I wanted your family to be comfortable with my intentions toward you, esp. since I just popped up out of nowhere."

"And you thought that I would let this stand?"

"I thought and I expect you to respect me and my wishes, Christian." Ana gazed at him sternly.

Christian was standing, holding the paper and feeling trapped. His father decided to put him out of his misery. "Well, as _your_ lawyer, Christian, I know a few ways to revoke this. May I?" he said, putting his hand out. Christian handed the paper back to his father and fell into his chair, looking at his wife in dismay.

Then, with dramatic flourish, Carrick tore the paper into several pieces and deposited them into the wastebasket. Ana's eyes flew wide open as Christian put his thumb on his nose, waggled his fingers at her and said, "neener, neener". Ana narrowed her eyes at him, made a fist and asked him to get his thumb out of the way. Grace and Carrick laughed. "It's okay, Ana, I think we know who we're dealing with now."

The rest of the meal was spent with Christian regaling his parents with tales, the PG versions, of his time with Ana. His dad cracked up at the story of Ana being the mystery teaching assistant who made Christian's life hell. Grace loved hearing about her "I am a rock, I am an island" son falling so hard for the tiny, unassuming girl down the hall that he had to be with her every possible moment. Maybe, with Ana's permission, Christian would tell Elliot the blow job story.

"Now, I really want to hear about how this marriage came to be. You know that your mother has dreamt for years of holding a big backyard wedding for at least one of her children. Did you just wake up one morning and run down to the nearest preacher?" asked Carrick.

"Well, as the end of the semester came closer and closer, I got more and more nervous at the thought of being away from Ana."

"So, one night," continued Ana, "we were walking downtown past the old courthouse and I said I wondered how many of the marriage licenses given out there were still in use. And Christian says…."

"I said that I knew of one at least that would yellow and turn to dust long before the actual marriage ended and Ana said who would that be?

And I said, ours.

And then I got down on one knee and asked her if she would visit a jewelry shop with me in the morning and pick out rings."

"I knew he was getting anxious about leaving me and that someone had to be sensible so I dragged him over to a bench and we sat and talked for hours, covering all the bases."

Carrick smiled at Grace. Who knew that their solid son could be so impulsive and that the girl he chose would be the voice of reason?

"Anyway, we finally came to the same conclusions about our feelings and how we wouldn't manage without each other and what we needed and wanted to do. So, in the morning, we stopped at the courthouse for the license, the student clinic for the blood test and a little family jewelry downtown for the rings. We had to wait a week for the engraving and Christian was like a cat on a hot tin roof the entire week. When he decides on something, he wants it now."

Grace asked to see the rings. They were identical wide gold bands. On Christian's was engraved on the outside…I Belong to Anastasia Grey and the date and on Ana's the same with Christian's name. They were lovely and simple.

"I wanted to get her an engagement ring, too, but she didn't want one," Christian said, shaking his head.

"Well, since we were getting married 20 minutes later, it seemed too short a time to commemorate. And I figured within 10 minutes I'd knock it into something and break the diamond off. The band is simple and easy. Even this much I'm having trouble getting used to."

"Not me," beamed Christian. "I knew the minute you put it on me that I'd been waiting for it since the moment we met. Fits like a glove."

"Did it not occur to either of you that your parents might like to know about your engagement or be present for your wedding?" Grace said, coming as close to sneering as Grace could manage.

"I'm sorry, Mom. That's mostly on me. I can't explain it well but Ana and I, well, that is to say…"he stumbled around, getting nowhere.

"It was mostly Christian's possibly misguided way of taking care of me," said Ana. "I was surprised, too, that he didn't want to come home and have a big engagement party and a fancy wedding filled with family and cousins and such but he insisted that he wanted a simple and intimate wedding with just the two of us and a couple of friends as witnesses. It took me half way across the country before the lightbulb went on."

Ana took a deep breath.

"You see, I don't really have any family. My father left when I was two. He is now in a facility in upstate New York for the mentally ill. My mother married a lot, always badly, and the state removed me from her care when I was 8. I grew up in foster homes. I'm not even sure where she is exactly and I've only spoken to her twice in the past 12 years. I have no other family that I know of."

Christian already had his arm around her. Grace and Carrick realized that he hadn't not been touching her since they walked in the room. Now he pulled his chair closer and ran his fingers up and down her arm.

"I didn't want to put Ana through a huge family gathering, all strangers to her, asking her questions. The woman is made of steel, like her name, but her body has been through a lot and I worried about the strain of a wedding and reception. We both realize that she'll have to meet a lot of people but I, personally, would prefer small gatherings scattered over a period of time. Is that okay with you guys? I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to hurt you but Ana is my first priority."

"And that is as it should be, son. Besides, I'm rather enjoying this small gathering right here. And besides, said Grace, I have more questions. For instance, Ana, how badly did my son whore around until he met you?"

 **THE CALM AFTER THE STORM**

"I like your parents very much, Christian," Ana whispered as Christian undid the buttons on the back of her dress and slipped his arms around her waist as he planted kisses all over her naked back. "You are so soft. You smell so good. Yes, I think that they like you very much, too." He slipped the dress over her head. Her breasts were small and round and she rarely wore a bra. He liked that. "However, you about gave me a heart attack with that prenup. When did you write that up?"

"I did have moments when we weren't together, you know?"

"I barely let you use the bathroom alone." He laughed. "This boy got it bad."

He pulled down her panties, kissing her butt cheeks.

She turned around and began to unbutton his shirt, slipping it over his shoulders, kissing his neck as she slipped his undershirt over his head.

"I was amazed when your father tore it up. I did not expect that. I was sure that he'd lock it away immediately." She slipped his belt open and unzipped his pants, sliding them to the floor. He sat down on the bed and removed his socks and then his boxers.

"Let's take a shower and then get some rest."

"I'm fine, doctor," she grinned at him.

"Rest," he repeatedly assertively.

In the shower, he loved washing her hair and practically swooned when she washed his. He didn't know why but her fingers massaging his head gave him such a sense of peace and well-being. Then he allowed her to wash him and give him a blowjob before she finished. He was drinking a lot of pineapple juice these days and she always expressed her appreciation. Then he washed her between her legs softly and gently until she'd begin to moan. She'd asked him once if he wanted her to wax like all the other girls did. He was adamant that she was not going through that pain. Besides, he said, when it began to grow out, it would itch, just like his beard did and he'd rather his wife wasn't walking around scratching her privates like his brother Elliot. So, they compromised on a trim. She was a woman, Christian said, and he wanted her to be one and not something all changed by today's new ideas on beauty. He liked that she didn't wear much makeup; he didn't see the need for any.

He knew guys who didn't want to go down on their girlfriends and he wondered what the hell was wrong with them. If Ana could have stood the constant licking and sucking, he would have spent his days down there. He thought she tasted delicious; maybe she drank pineapple, too. And, god, he loved the effect it had on her. She writhed so that he had to keep a grip on her hips and the noises she made and then she'd put her hands in his hair and again nirvana would set in.

The only thing that brought him up for air was his desperate need to be inside of her. God, he'd been inside a hundred women and it was never the same. Probably because with them he was only visiting, so to speak, ramming in and out as hard as possible to ensure the best orgasm for himself. They seemed to like it, too, but that was secondary.

And the first time with Ana, he was probably a bit gentler because he thought she was a virgin, but still entering her was an experience like no other. He didn't expect the feeling of moving into her, of being with her. He usually didn't look at the women's faces and he'd put his face on the pillow but with Ana, he wanted to look into her eyes. She was smiling at him. He loved the feeling of pushing into her and yet he loved the feeling of just being in her. He kissed her. He laid his forehead against her. And suddenly, without trying he came, crying out her name.

And he stayed inside of her, asking her, "is it okay if I just stay here for a while." She smiled and said that yes, she'd like that. He never intended that first time to be the beginning. He only knew afterward that he needed her again and then again and then always.

He'd never quite figured out what was different about making love with Ana except that he was in love with her. That, he figured, must really make all the difference.

 **THE SISTER**

Christian figured that she could probably be heard back at Harvard but that was his little sister. Loud, lively, manic and at the moment highly intrusive. He lifted his head a bit to see over his wife's soft, silky shoulder to look at the clock. 8 a.m. on a Saturday. Good grief. He wondered if he could make it to the door in time to lock it before his sister caught him dashing for it naked.

Nope.

Mia was in the door even as he turned his head.

"CHRISTIAN!" she screamed. She adored her big brothers but she was especially fond of Christian. He'd always made her #1 in his affections. Her name was the first word he'd spoken after 2 years of being mute. None of the specialists to whom his adoptive parents sent him could coax a sound from the shy little boy but when his parents set the infant girl on his lap and told him that her name was Mia, they were shocked to hear him repeat "Mee ahh". Thereafter, he slowly began to say words, initially all of them related to his sister…"Mia cry"…Mia hungry…"

Once day Grace heard Mia crying and walked in to find her 6 year old son changing the baby's diaper. That day he said his first full sentence. "She poop really bad, Mom." It was also the first time he'd said "mom". Grace calmly noted that Christian had done the diaper change perfectly…wipes, talc, secure diaper and happy baby. Then she went into the powder room and sat on the toilet and cried.

"CHRISTIAN" she screamed again. "Mia, for god's sake, I can hear you. Take it down an octave!"

"Sorry," Mia whispered, "is Ana asleep?"

There was a giggle from next to Christian. "I'd have to be dead to be asleep. You must be Mia."

Ana's hair-tousled head popped up from below Christian's broad shoulder as she threw an arm over his chest. She smiled at Mia. "Wow," exclaimed Mia, "Mom wasn't exaggerating. You are beautiful." She stared at Ana's killer blue eyes, glossy wild mane, beaming smile. Meanwhile, Ana laughed. "Christian told me that you are a very funny person. How about we get our showers, clothes and come out for breakfast? Twenty minutes?"

Mia nodded, looking stunned and closed the door as she left.

Christian looked glum. "It's only 8. I was really hoping for a couple of hours of fucking fun."

Ana pouted in sympathy. "You could pop your head out the door and tell Mia that we'll see her in 2 hours."

"She'd sit outside the door, waiting….and listening," chuckled Christian. "I can't cum quietly."

"Then we'd better get in some shower sex now," giggled Ana, as she dashed naked from the bed to the bath, followed by a naked and very erect Christian.

When they emerged 30 minutes later, they found Mia sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar, or rather, hopping up and down on it.

She jumped down from the stool and raced toward Ana, nearly knocking her over as she threw her arms around her. Mia was at least 5 inches taller than Ana who was solidly enveloped in Mia's embrace. Of course, Christian was 10 inches taller so Ana was used to being smothered against someone's chest. She just laughed and hugged back until Christian freed her so she could breathe. Mia was stunning in a different way from Ana. Ana was small and delicate. Mia was tall and long limbed, slender and shapely. Her black hair and green eyes made for a combination that left people a bit speechless at first. But to Mia, a little person like Ana seemed like a sprite.

"What are you looking for, Mia?" asked Christian, as he noted his sister's interest in Ana's back. "Oh, I was just looking for her wings. She's like a little fairy."

Ana blushed, because she knew that Mia was again complimenting her and she was becoming a bit self-conscious about her size. "I've always wanted to be taller and stronger, like Wonder Woman. You would make a gorgeous Wonder Woman, Mia. Did you know that only 2% of people in the entire world have green eyes? Green is the rarest color. I'll bet people just stare at you until they get used to them. And with your black hair, which is also rare in Caucasians, and your height, geez, I'll bet people just stop dead in their tracks when you walk into a room."

Mia just stared at Ana and then, very quietly started to cry. Ana looked startled at first and then put her arms around Mia for a few minutes until Mia calmed down. Then they sat down together on the couch. After a few moments of silence, Ana said softly, "I don't know why no one ever told you that you are a woman of great beauty, Mia. Maybe they were too stunned or more likely thought that you already knew it or that people were telling you all the time. Maybe they were just jealous. You know, I've always thought of myself as small and mousy…until I met Christian. He tells me all the time that I'm beautiful and that's given me a lot of confidence. Until you meet a man who tells you all the time that he thinks that you are a great beauty, keep looking."

Christian smiled at his mother who was also crying. "That's my Ana." He was so proud of her. Mia had always been self-conscious about her looks and her family had tried to tell her that she was beautiful but she didn't believe them because they loved her. And her girlfriends were all shorter than her and blond and they kidded her about her height. She pretended to be good-natured about it and made up for it by being always the brightest, funniest person in the room. But Ana was right. No one had ever told Mia that she was a beauty and that kind of thing is important to a girl. Maybe it was shallow and being a good person was more important and that was true but reality is reality. Girls like to feel pretty. And Mia had always felt like a strange looking giantess.

Christian would have to ask Ana later how she knew how Mia felt. Meanwhile, the four sat around the bar talking about a million different topics. Mia pleaded with Ana to go shopping with her, something Ana hated, but Mia wanted to buy her pretty things. "It'd be like shopping for a little sister," she argued.

"Well," mock huffed Ana, "I do believe that I am a month older than you, little one. Besides, I'm a boring dresser. I have little sense of style. I've always just bought whatever I needed and I've never needed much. I stopped growing around my 13th year and pretty much stopped shopping about the same time except for, you know, shoes and socks and underwear."

Christian was laughing at the expression of pure horror on his sister's face. Mia shopped for clothing the way other people shopped for weekly groceries. Wearing the same thing for years shocked her into a dead silence. First, she just stared at Ana, like she'd just discovered a strange new animal in the woods. Then she took on an expression of complete shock and bewilderment. She opened her mouth but couldn't think of words to say. How could someone not shop?!

Ana seemed confused as well by _Mia's_ confusion while Christian and Grace held their sides laughing. They were so used to Mia's shopping life that they never stopped to think how it might appear to others, esp. someone thrifty like Ana. And for Mia, a life without Neiman's? Was there a life without Neiman's?

Finally, Ana spoke. "You know, you might have fun reading a book about cheapskates. There are several by different titles in which people brag about how they manage to live well on next to nothing. I'm not like that. I'm not trying to prove anything. I'm just practical, I guess.

You know, if I have a sweater, I have a sweater. If it gets a hole in it, I sew it up. I guess I look a sight but I never really thought about it much."

"Before I started spending all my time with Ana," Christian revealed, "I usually ate out. I'd stop at a restaurant on the way home and pick up a meal and think nothing of spending $25.00 and a tip. I don't think I ever bought more than eggs, bread and bacon at the store. A couple times a week I'd eat steak at Rudy's.

Then Ana started cooking and suddenly I'm eating tuna and noodles and cheese sandwiches for lunch and I go from spending a couple hundred a week to a couple hundred a month, for two. I practically had to throw her over my shoulder and haul her downtown to L'Espalier for her birthday dinner. She asked for a doggy bag for more than half of it and then handed it over to some homeless guy on a park bench as we walked home while I gripped about how that would have made a great lunch for me the next day."

"That was probably the best thing that fellow had to eat that month," chided Ana. Christian just smiled, wrapped his arm around her neck and kissed her head. "Yes, dear."

 **ELLIOT**

"Where is she!? Gripes, that damn Mia woke me up at dawn on a Saturday to tell me that Christian brought home a wife and then hangs up on me and won't pick back up. I'm going to kill that little sister of mine. Just for this I get her piece of pie tonight!"

"Do you prefer apple or cherry pie, Elliot?" asked a small, musical voice, the kind not generally heard in the Grey home. Between fighting brothers, a loud sister and exasperated parents, the volume at the Grey's was usually about 80 decibels.

Elliot slid to a halt as he stormed passed the entrance to the kitchen on his way to the family room. He saw Christian sitting at the island, smiling at him like the cat that ate the canary. A few more steps and he saw a small woman standing on the cooking side of the island. She was rolling out dough, brown hair piled high on her head and smiling at him. The deepest blue eyes, cute little nose with freckles across the bridge, the sweetest smile and the perkiest little ass…."El, El, up here, buddy," came Christian's sharp command, pointing at his eyes.

"Huh? What? Sorry, ah, did we get a new housekeeper?"

Ana laughed. "With the size of this place, you'd need a lot more than one housekeeper." Christian got off the stool and walked around to his wife, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she wiped her hands on her apron and reached out to shake Elliot's hand. Elliot stared down at the tiny hand offered to him and figured that there was no way to grab hold to shake it. He looked at Christian in amazement and said, "Holy shit, Mia wasn't putting me on!" Then he grabbed Ana and picked her up in a huge bear hug. Elliot was 6' 5'', 260 lbs. of pure muscle earned from years of working in his business, Grey Design and Construction.

"Put her down, Elliot! You've got 150 lbs. on her! You'll crush her!" Christian was genuinely worried. Ana was gasping for breath but smiling even as her husband was checking her over for injuries. "Christian, Christian, I'm ok. Gosh, you're a big guy. I thought Christian was huge."

Elliot grabbed his little brother's hand. He looked at him, confounded. "You really got married, bro? What the hell? Start talking."

"I will, I will…but we're waiting for Gram and Gramps. Meanwhile, answer my wife's question."

He loved saying "wife". "Cherry or apple?"

Elliot cocked his head at his brother as if he'd said something stupid.

Ana was quicker on the uptake. "Gotcha. Both. Honey, show him your ring. They're identical, Elliot, except for the names on the inscriptions, of course."

"Honey," chuckled Elliot. "Come here, sweetie. Show me your ring," he teased his brother.

"I belong to Ana Grey"…oh, that is too, too precious. Did you wrap your balls up in a velvet pouch and hand them over or just have them bronzed for the mantle?"

The wrestling commenced. Chairs were knocked over, lamps crashed to the floor, couch cushions flew everywhere, pictures fell to the floor, the air turned blue with foul language….

Mia strolled through casually, maneuvering around the growing debris, heading to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water. Then she turned to Ana to ask about going shopping in the morning.

That's when she noticed that something about Ana didn't look right. She was pale, hyperventilating, her eyelids looked heavy and Mia dropped the water bottle and grabbed Ana just before she hit the floor.

"Christian, something's wrong with Ana! Where's Mom?"

Christian was out from under his brother and on his feet in seconds and Elliot had his phone out. "Mom, are you close? Something's wrong with Ana. She just fainted or something. Drive careful but hurry!"

"She's coming with Gram and Gramps. They're real close! What the hell happened?"

"We happened. Mia's used to us. Ana probably thought we were really fighting. She's got a little heart thing. It's okay. Mia, give me a cold cloth for her face and some water. She'll come to in a minute."

Grace flew in the front door and pushed her children out of the way while she examined Ana. She checked her pulse and blood pressure. "It's okay. She's fine. She'll probably sleep again. Christian, take her in and put her to bed."

While Christian carried Ana to the bedroom, Grace ordered Elliot to help Gramps get Gram out of the car and told Mia to keep working on the pies. Then she looked around at her destroyed family room. "Jesus Christ," she muttered, "if I weren't used to those boys, I'd have passed out, too. Ana must have thought she was watching the killing fields."

"I just came into to get water and turned to say something to her when I saw her face. Wow, Mom, that was scary. Her eyes were rolling back into her head, she was sweating and white. If Christian hadn't been calm, I would have started crying."

"Well, apparently, he's seen this before. In fact, when I first met her, she was out cold. He wasn't so calm then. She's a bit fragile."

Christian sat on the bed, leaning on his arm, hovering over his wife, using his other hand to smooth her hand and stroke her face. They was a small knock at the door and Elliot's head pop through. "May I come in, bro?"

"Yeah, sure. Pull up a chair. El? Don't get all upset, okay? You didn't do anything. I should have warned Ana that I had to beat you up now."

"No, it was my fault. I should have warned Ana that I needed to put you in your place. It's been a while."

They sat in silence for a while, both watching Ana closely. "Geez, Christian, I haven't been that scared since one of my men fell off that roof last year. Still can't believe he just got up and said 'ouch'."

"Remember how scared we got when Dad had angina that time? We thought it was a heart attack and we were gonna lose our dad?

God knows I love our father but it was nothing like the time I thought I was gonna lose Ana."

"When was this?" asked Elliot.

"Ana has nightmares. I know what they're about and they don't get much grimmer. You know how you hear someone described as looking gray?...well, this was no exaggeration. She was clammy, hyperventilating so badly she could hardly get a breath, so cold to the touch…I couldn't wake her up. The EMTs worked on her while I stood in the hallway rocking back against the wall and crying. Kate kept telling me that Ana was the strongest person she knew and she'd been through this many times before and was always okay. She just kept saying that over and over. It was the only thing that kept me from screaming.

Anyway, they gave her a hypodermic of something and she relaxed and went back to sleep. I sure didn't. Kate stayed up with me the rest of the night even tho' she had a test in the morning. I guess I looked pretty gray, too. She explained to me that Ana had been through something horrific as a child and that this is the way her mind now handled it. Some people, she said, might have gone off the rails after a childhood like Ana's but that Ana had somehow internalized it, sort of tucked it away in a little cubby hole in her head so that she could go on with her life. Kate said that I would learn to recognize the signs that the dreams were starting and that I just had to calm Ana and she'd go back to dreamless sleep. And that's what's happened. I'm so attuned now that I wake up the second Ana moves or makes a sound and I know what's coming. I hold her tighter, talk or sing to her and she goes right back to sleep.

Luckily, I'm a light sleeper."

"What about _your_ nightmares?"

"Well, since I started sleeping with Ana, I haven't had one. Ironic, huh?"

"Has Ana seen a doctor about this heart thing?"

"I found out on our trip home that Ana hasn't seen a doctor since she was 13 when she had her first period and bled so bad that her foster mother took her to an Ob/gyn. He said that if she kept bleeding like that every month, she'd become dangerously anemic so they put her on the pill. But I'm gonna have Mom set up an appointment for a general exam as soon as possible."

At this point, there came another little knock on the door and Mia's head popped through. "May I come in, too?"

"Sure, I hope that Ana doesn't freak when she opens her eyes to see half my family staring at her," Christian smiled.

Mia laid down next to Ana and held her hand. "Doesn't she look like a little woodland fairy to you, Elliot?"

Elliot made a face at Christian. "Yeah, woodland fairy. 'Course, I was thinking more along the lines of hot babe myself. But don't hit me, bro. Woodland fairy, it is."

Suddenly Ana's eyes popped open. She smiled at Christian. "Did it again, eh?"

"Yeah, little bit. Sorry about all the commotion. Should have warned you about the wrestling. Are you gonna be okay now for a while with Mia while Elliot and I clean up?"

"Elliot and I?" grimaced his brother. "Mom made me do all that already. And I'm the one who owes her a new lamp. She said that I started it so I had to clean up."

"How'd she know you started it?" wondered Christian.

"I was feeling guilty so I confessed before I had time to calm down."

"Ha! I guess Mom's got your balls in a little velvet pouch, eh, buddy?"

"Well, Ana and I will be out in a little while, then. I want to make sure she's okay first. Don't discuss anything interesting until we get out there."

" _You_ _and Ana_ are the 'anything interesting', bro, so, yeah, we'll wait for you. Hurry up. I'm hungry. Mia, did you finish those pies?"

"Oh, Elliot," sighed Ana, "sorry about your pies."

"Don't worry, Ana. I got them," reassured Mia.

 **THE FAMILY DINNER**

Elliot walked back into the family room and plunked himself down next to his grammie.

He threw an arm around her and asked, "How's my favorite girl?"

"Excuse me, stud," said his gramps, "that would be _my_ favorite girl. Get your own," he growled as he reached his arm around grammie's other shoulder.

"Did I ever tell you about how I met Theo?" grammie giggled. Yes, she had. Often. But everybody said no.

"It was at a church picnic. Theo had been a practicing lawyer for one year with the DA's office. I was serving slices of pie at the dessert table. He took one look at me and said, "No, no way in hell." And then he got in his car and left.

"Attack of nerves, gramps?" kidded Elliot,

"I had plans that did not include a wife and family. I took one look at the prettiest girl I'd ever seen and knew that if I stuck around, my plans were all shot to hell. I had to get out of there. I made it half a mile down the road, put on the brakes and started pounding on the steering wheel while I screamed obscenities over and over at the top of my lungs. I already knew it was too late and I was so angry I could have kicked a cow," laughed Theo.

"Meanwhile, I thought what a handsome man…odd but handsome. Then I went back to dishing out slices of pie. I looked up into the angriest eyes and said, "Well, grumpy, what do _you_ want now? And he said, "Cherry…and you." "And I said, well, what makes you think that _I_ want _you?"_

"And I said because that would be just my luck. Then we sat down and the rest is history.

Kinda amazing when you think about it. I'll bet Christian was thinking something along the same lines when he fell in love with his wife."

"Well, gramps, a year ago I would have said you'd be right but that isn't how it happened."

Ana and Christian came into the family room and began introductions and hugs and such and then everybody settled around the table for dinner because Elliot said that he was passing out next.

Ana took a small red potato and Christian put 2 more on her plate. Ana took a slice of pot roast and Christian put 2 more on her plate. She asked for a glass of water and he poured her a second glass of milk and so it went. Everyone but Ana took notice. Then the questions began.

Christian explained that they shared a hallway but that he paid no attention to anyone's comings and goings…didn't know his neighbors. He shared a business class with Ana but didn't notice her except for a couple of nights when the professor invited the class out for beers after class. The prof was popular and it was considered an honor to be invited to be in his classes which were really seminars with less than a dozen students. Christian noticed Ana only because she was the only girl and he, at first, thought that she was the professor's daughter and he couldn't get a babysitter. This earned a big laugh.

He abbreviated the entire story of Angela the clinger to Ana simply showing up at his door and Angela thinking she was his girlfriend. After that, so he said, they became friendly to the point of saying hello in the hall until one night they progressed to a longer conversation. "And the rest, as they say, is history." Not one person at the table, with the possible exception of grammie, believed them.

Ana, he told them, was making a sacrifice for him. She should be the one pounding her little hands on the wheel and looking for a cow to kick. She had a year to go, a scholarship and 2 majors to finish…all of which she was giving up to come home with him. Harvard would transfer her credits to WSU so she could finish her majors but she would never be able to claim the coveted honor of Harvard grad. That was okay with her, Ana said, she wasn't that impressed with the prestige of Harvard. She'd only gone there to get herself a rich husband.

For the briefest moment, there was silence around the table until Grace said, "You are kidding, right?" Christian laughed the loudest. "You'll discover as you get to know her that Ana is probably one of the most independent people you'll ever meet. She's a real pain in the ass sometimes. And I hate to admit it but Ana would have been fine for a year without me. It was me who couldn't handle the separation. It took me 2 hours to talk her into marrying me, too. She kept saying, "Why do you want to get married? I'll still live with you. You don't have to put a ring on it."

"As for money, she has more than I do. She's a published author."

At this, Ana blushed and poked Christian. She seemed embarrassed.

"You've actually had a book published,?" Mia was amazed. "Yes, but they're just romance novels like the kind sold in drugstores and supermarkets. My scholarship was a full ride but, of course, there are always other expenses." She didn't mention her father's medical bills.

"Do you mean like the ones with the gorgeous men with long hair blowing in the wind while they hold some woman on top of a cliff?" inquired grammie.

Everyone stared stunned at grammie. "Well, I ain't dead, you know," she scolded them.

Ana threw her head back and laughed, "Yes, yes," she said, "those covers are hilarious…along with the titles the editors foist on me. I did not choose Love's Grand Passion on my own, I assure you."

Almost in unison, Mia and Grace exclaimed, "I _loved_ Loves' Grand Passion!"

 **THE STUDY**

As dinner concluded and Elliot finished his 3rd piece of pie, Carrick indicated to Christian and Gramps that it was time for a conversation in his study.

"Son, your grandfather and I have been reading your business plan and I have to say, this one is a great improvement over the one you wrote last year. We're quite impressed. You always had great ideas but the writing needed work. This is one you can take to the bank."

"Thanks, Dad. I have to confess that I had a bit of tutoring in writing and humility to put that one together. The teaching assistant for Professor Thompson took me down a few pegs and then put me back together again. God, I hated her but without her, I would not have learned how to write proposals, legal papers, understand contracts. I really owe the professor for hooking me up with her. I fought her tooth and nail at first. I was so sure that I knew better. Finally he laid down the law. Pay attention to her critiques and suggestions or fail the class. Like I said, I hated her but eventually I came around.

'Course, sleeping with her helped me to feel more amenable to her corrections," Christian grinned.

Carrick and Theo gaped at Christian.

"Ana?!"

Christian leaned back in his chair and roared. "I was so looking forward to laying that one on you! The expressions on your faces…just priceless!"

"Why was Ana a teaching assistant for a Post-grad business class?"

"The professor learned about her writing skills from her teachers in English Lit and Business. She'd already finished her business major and she has a few credits left in Lit and Finance, her other majors. Anyway, he offered her the job. The papers she worked on were all number coded so she didn't know she was grading mine. She just realized from reading the first ones that I was the only student in the seminar who was an entrepreneur so she encouraged Thompson to pay special attention to my work. She was merciless. I knew I was turning in work much better than anyone else but I was getting _my_ ass kicked all over the place. He explained that I had more potential and that if I wanted to go out on my own, I'd better produce perfection. No settling.

I came home one night after hours in the library…trying to rewrite and please this bitch and I was discouraged and worn out. As I was about to enter my apartment, Ana came down the hall toward me and she told me that I looked pretty sad and tired….not knowing that _she_ was actually the reason. We sat and talked and she saw my pathetic papers, she knew I was #506. She confessed, I yelled at her, fell in love, yada yada….."

 **THE PORCH**

Later, Christian and Elliot sat out on the back porch, drinking beers and discussing life. El's business was getting better all the time. He ask Christian if he would mind if Ana gave him a hand writing up a proposal for a townhome development. It would a major project, the biggest Elliot had ever bid on and could really move his fledging business forward. He was blown away by Christian's story of Ana being his TA.

"Amazing. I mean, like Mia says, she looks like a sweet little woodland fairy," Elliot shook with laughter and she bled your balls like a butcher. Now, Dad and Gramps are nowhere within hearing range and Mia is making Ana's ears bleed so…truth."

"This never goes anywhere, El. I don't care who, understood?"

"I was just enjoying the fruits of the campus, if you get my drift, and wanted nothing more, but one girl just would not get the message. She was relentless, even scary. If I was in a bar, I never put my drink down because I would not put it past her to drug me.

One night I opened my door without looking and next thing I know I'm up against the wall, flaccid and terrified. I texted my general contacts for help and guess who shows up? That's right. The little mouse down the hall. I don't even know why she was in my phone. Anyway, my door opens and there stands the hottest thing on two legs I have ever seen in my life, wearing a shiny piece of nothing with long glossy hair, huge blazing blue eyes and long legs in six inch stilettos. I went from flaccid to steel rod in a second and my eyes popping out of my head. Then, laughing like a little minx, she reaches up under the dress and drops her panties. Then she lures me into my bedroom. Turns out the panties were a pair of her roommates bikinis over her panties.

"The clinger huffed, left and I walked in a daze into my bedroom to find Ana sitting on my bed giggling and I just got harder. She borrowed a t-shirt, ditched the silver thing and changed into little white socks but it didn't help. I just got harder. I mean, bro, I was in pain. She's sitting on the bed and I'm standing right in front of her with this giant erection. I didn't know that I could get that big. I should have been embarrassed but I was just too dazed."

"Then she's staring at my pants and the next thing I know she's asking me to teach her how to give a blowjob. She's asking me this like I would be doing her a big favor and she'd really appreciate my help."

"Don't tell me. You just had to give the girl a hand, so to speak. You're a prince among men, Christian."

"Tell me about it. Get this. She'd been practicing with a toothbrush and she suggested that I drink pineapple juice to improve the taste of my semen. I mean, how do you not fall in love with a girl like that?" Elliot was spitting his beer over the lawn.

"Anyway, she came to me later and asked me to take her virginity…no, no…to teach her how to be a "sexual creature". I had just enough common decency to refuse and she apologizes to me for being so intrusive. All night long I stared at the ceiling trying not to race down the hall and bang on her door."

"A few nights later, after a humiliating lecture from my Business Writing Professor, I dragged myself home from the library and saw Ana coming down the hall. She noted that I seemed tired and unhappy and asked very innocently if she could help.

I said yes. Please stay the night."

"You never ask a woman to stay in your place. That's seduction 101, Christian. I taught you better," Elliot chided.

"Yeah, well. I didn't want her to leave and she never did again. She tried a couple of times, thinking I was just too nice to ask her to go. I told her that she had me all wrong. There was nothing nice about me. I just wanted what I wanted and I wanted her to stay. Period. So, she said, ok, and kept thanking me for teaching her about sex. Truth was I was learning more about real sex from her.

El, I never knew sex could be so good. I mean, I thought I'd had mind-blowing sex with some of the hottest girls on campus but with Ana….I think she had me at toothbrush."

"But why marriage, Chris? She wasn't asking. She was arguing against it even."

"I know. I think part of it was because I didn't want to be away from her and it wasn't just the distance, El, it was the time. I know that getting my business up and running is going to be 24/7 and I'm going to have to try hard to find time to fit a marriage in there but I was afraid that if we weren't together, really together, it might be too easy to be apart.

And, again I can't explain it, but I really like calling her my wife and wearing this ring. I'm kind of blissed out, buddy. I really hope you get that someday."

Elliot put his arm around his little brother and said that he never dreamed, after everything and everyone that Christian had been through that he'd one day even be open to love much less be so happy in it. "She is really a miracle for you Christian. I don't think I've ever been so happy and for someone else. I'm not the most selfless guy you know. After Elena I was the one giving you love life advice. Not exactly the pot to the fire but not much better in some way. Yet somehow you found Ana and I feel I, in a way, got my little brother back. You know, you were so closed off for so long and I tried so hard to get close and was kind of losing hope."

"I know, El. I was a pretty bad piece of work for a long time. You never gave up. Tell you what. If _you_ ever turn into an asshole, I won't give up on you either. Meanwhile, I'd like you to meet Kate, Ana's friend."

"Oh, no. Don't even start. I got a nice happy sex life with no strings and plenty of variety and that's the way I want to keep it. Besides, my business life has no room for a steady girlfriend demanding my attention."

"Christian, I'm really tired," said Ana standing in the doorway. I can hardly stand between all the driving and all the activity today. I'm going to turn in early. Good night, Elliot. Hope I see you again soon. I'll be baking lots of pies. Any other flavors you'd like, just leave a list on the counter."

Ana blew Christian a kiss and with a sweet smile, turned to head for the bedroom.

"That's my cue, El. I take it you'll be here for dinner again tomorrow."

You bet. Good night, bro. I have to get started on my pie list before I leave tonight."

"Hey, one thing. I gotta know. Does Ana know about Elena? I mean, everything? Not just the cleaned up version that you had an affair with an older woman 'cause, bro, we know that isn't what it was. Did you tell her?" Elliot looked worried.

"There is nothing that Ana doesn't know about me, El. I'm incapable of keeping things from her. Does she still come around? Is Mom still friends with her?"

"Well, she does and she will be until you tell the family the truth, Christian. Does Ana know that the family doesn't?"

"Yeah, she's been encouraging me to talk but, god, El. When I think what it did to you, how responsible _you_ felt when you were even away at college, I don't want to think what it would do to the folks. I don't know what I'll do, El. Right now I want to concentrate on the business, ok?"

"Ok, I got your back. Go to bed. Right now I'm thinking peach and strawberry for my list. Got to work on my list. Good night."

 **THE TRUTH**

Ana had spent the past three hours poring over every bit of punctuation, spelling, every sentence in Christian's latest version of his business plan. After finally and successfully completing BW103, Christian had decided to use his improved knowledge of the subject to rewrite his plan. He knew that his father and grandfather hadn't been impressed with his last version. Now Christian, having reread it, knew how amateurish it had sounded. Ana, he knew, would be straight with him. If he couldn't write a professional plan, maybe he should put off starting his business.

God, how he wanted to walk in and look over her shoulder but he knew if he spied even a bit of red ink, he wouldn't be able to take it. He had to somehow be patient. He trusted Ana. She wouldn't set him wrong no matter how much she loved him and wanted to help him.

The door opened and Ana emerged wearing her coat and hat. "I'll be gone for a little while. I should be back by 10:00."

"Where are you going at this hour? Ana," Christian looked worried, "it's dark. I'll go with you." "No, Kate will walk with me. Stay here and try to be patient." Ana looked at him sympathetically and closed the apartment door behind her.

By 9:00 Christian was going nuts. It was dark. Even with Kate, it wasn't safe for Ana to be out walking around out there. Settle down, Christian told himself, before you Ana spent more than two years walking the campus in the dark. By 9:30 he was putting on his coat. He didn't know where he was going but he had to go look for her. As he set foot outside the building, he saw the two girls laughing and talking as they headed back to the apartment. He couldn't help himself. He was so relieved that he grabbed her and held her tight. "It's okay, Christian. I'm safe, too," laughed Kate. "Sorry, Kate. I never used to have to worry about anybody I loved walking around in the dark. Thanks so much for going with her. I know you have an exam in the morning."

"Yeah, have to hit the books. Later, guys."

"Ok, never again do you do that without me or six big guys I know. Where did you go off to anyway," scolded Christian.

"Well, come inside and I'll tell you," grinned Ana happily. "I completed my analysis of your plan but I felt my relationship with you might taint my results so I took the plan over to Thompson and he faxed it to a fellow BW prof he knows at MIT. He says that this guy is the best. So, I have your results. Would you care to see them now or would you like to get a good night's rest first…you know, be strong in the morning?" Christian narrowed his eyes at Ana and pushed her back against the edge of the bed.

"Now!"

Ana handed over the booklet, upside down and frowned as she noted that he'd used an apostrophe with the possessive pronoun hers. He flipped it over and saw it clean and untouched except with a tiny dot of white out on the apostrophe. "It's perfect, Christian. Absolutely perfect. The MIT guy said it was as good as any professionals could get. Thompson said that you could walk into a bank with this plan," she was beaming at him. The beam that always sent his heart soaring.

He kissed her as he unbuttoned her coat. Then he hung it on the back of the desk chair. Then he kissed her again as he unbuttoned her shirt and slipped it off her shoulders, kissing them as he removed the shirt. He pushed her back unto the bed as he removed her sneakers and socks. He mouthed her breast as he unzipped her jeans and hooked his thumbs in her panties as he slid both down her legs. His eyes pored over her naked body as he removed his own clothes as quickly as possible.

Then he scooped her up and laid her head on her pillow. For several minutes he held her head as he kissed her deeply. "What do you want and how do you want it," he breathed into her mouth.

"I want you to hold me as tightly as you can and be inside me as much as you can for as long as you can. I just want all of you," Ana whispered, almost in tears. Christian lifted her legs to wrap around him as he knelt around her, drove himself deep inside of her and enveloped her in his arms. He kissed her again and again. He held himself as still as possible until his body defied him and he came crying her name in the crook of her neck. And still he stayed with her. "I love you, I love you, I am so madly in love with you, Ana," Christian gasped.

He didn't know when he fell asleep or when he rolled unto his back but when he opened his eyes, he was still holding her so tightly, he was afraid he was hurting her. He loosened his grip a bit and then leaned up to turn off the light and pull up the blankets. He suddenly had a flash of terrible pain in his head, grabbing his head and crying out, "stop!".

Then he realized that he hadn't been awake at all but now he was as Ana held his face and called to him. He felt his face covered in tears and his body shaking violently. He hadn't had a nightmare in so long. Why now? Why after such a perfect night? It was almost as if that damn woman knew that he was happy and had wormed her way into his brain to punish him.

Ana held him and rocked him and told him that she would never let anyone hurt him ever again. They would have to go through her and she would kill for him. He knew that she thought that he was dreaming about the pimp but this time it was about a dungeon and a ball gag and his arms tied behind his back as she belted his groin. She had called him 2 nights ago and ordered him to come home this weekend but he had refused. He had been avoiding her and even her calls since he'd begun his relationship with Ana. Elena had told him that he was allowed the occasional random fuck but never a girlfriend. Somehow she knew. She had spies.

Ana brought him a glass of water and two headache pills. Then she had him lie on his stomach while she straddled him and gave him a deep massage with lavender oils. He was able to fall back to sleep and be peaceful the rest of the night. Ana lay on her side against him with one arm around his back. No one knew a nightmare about abuse better than she did but she had never known Christian to have one. Someone hurt him badly and they would pay.

They should have closed the curtains last night. The sun was shining and it was much too early to be awake. Christian saw that Ana was still asleep so he got up to close the curtains and use the bathroom. He decided to brush his teeth as well. The night showed on his face. He crawled back into bed with Ana and curled her into him and under the blankets. She mumbled something about "time to get up" and he said no, go back to sleep so she did.

While she slept, he thought about his nightmare. Thanks to Elliot's threats against her, Elena had left him pretty much alone the last 4 years. When she tried to do an end run around Elliot by asking Grace to send Christian over to help with some chore, Elliot went with and reminded Elena about his threats. He'd made good on the ones about her no longer being welcome at BDSM clubs in Seattle and she had a very hard time finding subs since he'd put out the word about her brutality but still she hadn't ever completely given up, showing up at the house and charity events that Christian had to attend.

After he met Ana, Elena went berserk with calls and texts and threats of every kind against him and against Ana. Now Christian knew he had to tell Ana the truth and he was sure that he'd lose her but her safety was at stake and that was all that mattered.

When Ana woke up, he made love to her one last time, he thought. He gave it everything he had to make certain she had all the pleasure that she deserved and all of Ana that he thought he'd never have again. Then he held her and told her that he had something terrible and ugly to tell her about him and that he fully expected that she would want to be shed of him once he finished.

"Hmm…" she enquired, "have you harmed a child in any way?

"What?! Of course not," he protested.

"Ok. Have you beaten or robbed any helpless old person and laughed while doing so?"

He gave her a strange look. Where was she going with this?

"Have you slashed the tires on any buses belonging to nuns?"

"No," he sighed.

"Ok, then. I think that you're pretty much in the clear except for a possible bashing about the head with a frying pan."

"You don't think I could tell you anything that could make you leave me? What if I said that I fucked another woman senseless? Eh? Would that do it?"

"Maybe. But you didn't and wouldn't. You're too crazy about me to even look at other girls." Ana smirked.

"But I did, Ana, when I was 14 and she was 35," confessed Christian. He couldn't look at her.

She reached for his chin and raised his eyes to hers. "Start at the very beginning. Okay?"

"My mother was only 16 when I was born and my father had deserted us. Her family kicked her out and she had no way to support us. She got mixed up with a pimp who got her hooked on drugs so she would sell herself to men for money. We starved mostly and lived in a dump. He was a real vicious guy who liked to kick me and use me as an ashtray. These scars aren't from measles like I told you." Christian looked closely at Ana. She hadn't flinched.

When I was four, my mother died on the kitchen floor. The police broke in 3 days later and took me to the hospital. That's where I met Grace, my adoptive mother, my savior. She and Carrick Grey adopted me 4 years after they adopted my older brother, Elliot. He graduated from here 3 years ago with a Masters in Architecture and Design. Now he runs his own construction company

I was a weird little kid. I didn't talk for 2 years and I don't think I was much of a brother but he sure tried hard. When I was six, my parents adopted my sister as a baby and her name was the first word I spoke…Mia. I adored her and I took care of her. At six I could change her diapers as well as my mother. I would feed her bottles and rock her to sleep.

I was okay for a few years after that but when I hit puberty and hormones, I went a little crazy.

I was angry all the time. I had nightmares about the pimp every single night. The kids at school called me names so I beat them up. I got kicked out of three schools. After I was suspended at the fourth school, my parents didn't know what to do with me.

That's when Elena Lincoln entered my life. She was my mother's good friend and neighbor and confidant. Elena told my mother that manual labor would be good for me so Mom sent me over to clean Elena's yard. Elena knew a horny boy when she saw one. She kissed me and told me to return the next day.

The next day she lead me inside and kissed me again and then blew me. I was hooked. The next day I got to fuck her and she showed me her special room. She said that she would let me fuck her all the time and she would show me how to control my anger and become a man.

Christian looked into Ana's eyes and still saw nothing but her full attention. She didn't pity him, he thought. Good. So, he went on to explain about BDSM and rules and punishments and beatings and ball gags and whips and ropes and hanging from crosses while dildos were shoved up his ass. But it was all good for him because he stopped fighting at school and he started getting the grades that got him into Harvard and he became a good son…except that he had to keep his secret life from his parents and he had to wear long sleeves so they couldn't see the handcuff marks and he had to somehow walk straight even when he had been beaten so badly that he could barely stand.

He told Ana that he was grateful for all Elena had done for him but that he didn't want to be her submissive anymore even before he met Ana. He told Ana that Elena knew about her now and that is why he wouldn't sneak home on weekends. He wanted to tell Ana to go nowhere without him but he couldn't because he was sure that she would leave him now. After she left, he would call Elena and ask her to leave Ana alone, that she was gone now. Then she'd be safe.

He waited for Ana to walk out. He waited for her to cry. He waited for her to look shocked.

He did not expect to see fire in her eyes. He did not expect clenched fist and fury.

He had never before seen an Anastasia Rose Steele ready to kill.

"We're going to Seattle this coming weekend and we're going to visit Elena Lincoln, the neighborhood pedophile. I am going to drag her down into her little dungeon where I will beat her within an inch of her disgusting life."

Ana was getting pale and clammy the way she did when she was becoming upset. If he didn't slow her down, she'd faint. He pulled her into his arms and rocked her. "Okay but first we're going to take a shower together, please. That dream kind of made me feel dirty. Then we'll talk about Elena. He didn't think that now was the time to explain that while she was cruel, Elena had also saved him from himself and made him a man. He still didn't see her as a pedophile.

Wow, every time he thought he had her figured out, this little woman blew his mind again. She was one surprise after another. He smiled for the first time in hours. They were going to have a hell of a life together.

 **ELLIOT'S BEGINNINGS**

Even though they were home in Seattle, there were a lot of things unsettled. His family still had a lot of questions about Ana and her background. Elena kept calling, both Christian who simply didn't pick up and Grace from whom she tried to wrangle invitations to dinner.

"Oh, Grace, how wonderful to have your whole family home! I can't wait to sit down with everyone and hear all about their adventures."

Even Grace was somewhat irritated with Elena's daily calls hinting that she be invited to dinner. Christian and his bride had barely arrived home and Grace wanted everyone all to herself for a while. She especially wanted to sit and talk with Ana. This, after all, was her new daughter, the girl who would be part of the family now forever and would, Grace hoped, provide her with grandchildren. She did not, right now, want to share her family, even with her good friends. This, she felt, was family time.

Besides, Christian was just settling in again and concerned about Ana and starting his business. Elena could be so intrusive, esp. with her favorite, always Christian. Grace sometimes wondered why Elena favored him but then, she thought, she did herself a bit because of his rough history. Elliot had always been so easy even though he was already 6 when he was adopted. He'd lived in 5 foster homes before they adopted him and yet he was never troubled, always happy and so good natured. His smile, shiny and real, was what had attracted them to the little boy to begin with.

Once they had realized that Grace's chances of ever having a child go to term were definitely not going to happen, she and Carrick had cried and gotten angry and finally accepted that it was for the best. Grace met foster children and orphans in her work as a pediatrician all the time. Together she and Carrick came to the conclusion that this was their destiny…to adopt. They put in their application and began the long wait. Even for a doctor and a prominent attorney, both with good connections, adoption was not easy. No one looked at their application and said, "You're important and rich. Here are some babies. Take your pick." Nor did they expect that. Grace had worked with many new adoptive parents who told of waiting years for a healthy infant. Thus, she and Cary had decided to look into adopting an older child. We are educated and wealthy. We have the resources to handle any problems that come with a child who has been in the system for years and needs extra help. This, again, they decided, was their destiny.

One day, months after they filed, a call came. "We have a little boy. He's six. He's been in 5 foster homes because his mother won't agree to terminate her parental rights. She's mentally ill and usually all drugged up. She hasn't seen him in a year. We think that we've finally gotten her to agree to give him up if the adoption is open. This is a tough one, Grace, and you and Carrick are the only couple we could think of who might be able to handle this situation. Would you be willing to meet?"

Grace and Carrick discussed the possible ramifications of dealing with a child as old as six. A mentally ill mother…what if it was genetic? Drug addicted…had she been using when she was pregnant and, if so, how had it affected him? 5 foster homes…would he have trouble attaching to them? And six years…that was quite a bit older than they'd been thinking of. It was a lot to consider but they'd meet with the social worker and at least discuss the issues.

When they arrived at the office, to their surprise the little boy's mother was there. They were not expecting to meet her so soon but perhaps getting answers directly from her was a good idea. She was quite thin and haggard with such tired eyes. They realized immediately that drug addiction was not her only physical problem. She told them that she had finally decided to try to find a good home for her son because she'd been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She had perhaps a month or two and she wanted Elliot settled and safe. She said that for years she had been trying to get herself together in order to get him back but she kept failing. He was a good boy but very energetic so a lot of foster homes gave up on him. She looked at them with such pleading eyes.

"If you take him, I would like to see him at least one more time to tell him that I'm sorry and that I do love him. If you take him, would you make sure that he always knows that I tried to get well, that he is a good boy and nothing is his fault? He needs to know that he didn't do anything wrong to be given away."

Of course, they said. Then the social worker brought Elliot into the room. They had expected to be able to see him from a distance, not to meet face to face. If they didn't want him, how would they walk away? They were nervous wrecks when the woman returned with a little towheaded child. He didn't look at all frightened, despite facing a roomful of strangers. They guessed with all his foster homes he'd gotten used to new situations. He looked at his mother, easily the scariest-looking person in the room, but he knew her and he broke into a glorious smile.

Grace and Carrick were stunned by this smile. With his blonde hair and blue eyes and that smile, he was a stunning child, true, but it was his reaction to his mother that was truly amazing. He didn't race to her and embrace her and call her mommy. He rather seemed to understand that she was ill. He went up to her and hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Hi, mommy. How are you feeling today? Are you taking your medicine?"

Grace and Cary looked at each other. This was a special six year old. They watched as he patted her cheek and asked more questions. When she asked how he had been, he told he was fine and that she shouldn't worry because people took good care of him. He was getting a new home soon, he said. The people he now lived with were having a baby and the house would be too crowded. They needed his room for the baby. But that was okay. He knew his new foster parents would be nice. Mommy shouldn't worry about him. Remember, he said as he puffed out his little chest, I'm superboy…and he beamed at her.

Then his mother hugged him tightly and looked into his eyes and asked if he understood that she loved him very very very much. He said, yes, and he loved her right back. She said that she had to go but she'd try to see him again soon. He said, now don't forget to eat and take your medicine. This time he wasn't smiling. He looked worried. She kissed him and left the room.

The social worker introduced him to Grace and Carrick. He smiled and said hello, holding out his hand to shake theirs. They looked at each other and smiled. No discussion was necessary.

"Elliot, my husband and I would like to adopt a little boy to come live with us forever. Not like a foster home. If you come home with us, you would be our little boy forever more. You can see your mother whenever you want. The social worker says that you could come stay with us for a while to see if _you_ like it there and if you don't, then you don't have to stay. It's all up to you.

What do you think?"

Elliot looked very serious for a moment. "Well, this is different. Usually I don't stay places. What if _you_ don't want me to stay?"

"We will always want you to stay. Once you're our little boy, you'll always be our little boy, no matter what." Elliot continued to look confused. "Well, okay. Hmm….can I ask more questions later 'cause I don't get it yet. Like, what is dopt?

Carrick smiled. "Well, adoption means that you will become our little boy permanently. You don't ever have to leave a home again. You'll always live with us and we'll always be your parents. I'll be your dad and Grace will be your mom."

"I'll have 2 moms!?"

"Yes, but you'll only live with your Grace mom and you can visit your first mom any time you want. Oh, and you'll have your own room and you'll never have to give it up. Grace and I really like you, Elliot. We have since the moment you walked into the room. We didn't know that we'd know so soon but we did…the minute we saw you, we knew that you were meant to be ours. Please come home with us."

Elliot looked stunned. He'd always walked into rooms like this one and been just handed over to adults and told that they were his new foster parents. He would say hi and go with them and stay with them for a year or some months and then some strange lady would come to the house and tell him that he was going to go live with different parents. Sometimes he cried when he was little. Now he just said okay, bye and moved on. But these parents were saying that he'd never have to leave again and he'd always have his own room and he'd call them mom and dad forever. Well, why not, couldn't hurt to give it a try. It was different and he didn't quite get it but….

So, he waited while the new people signed some papers. They said that the papers gave them temporary custody, whatever that was, until they were permanently approved and that could take a year although Carrick would try to use his connections to hurry it along. Then they asked if he would take their hands while they walked to the car. Sure, he thought, why not. The car was big and shiny. He'd never taken a ride in anything like it. They put him in the middle of the back and buckled him in and then sat on either side of him while another man drove the car. Maybe this is like a taxi, Elliot thought. He'd been in a couple of those but never one as nice as this. He was too small to see well out of the window so he just sat and waited.

It took a while and he was getting sleepy when the car pulled into a driveway and stopped in front of a really big house, really big. It was different looking from the apartment houses he was used to seeing. They were usually just like big blocks but this one was pretty and white and had little trees in front of it. Carrick unbuckled him and lifted him out of the car. He was tired.

He was carried into the house and he sort of noticed it before he fell asleep.

When he woke up, it was getting dark outside and he was scared for a moment 'cause he didn't know where he was. Then he heard a soft lady voice say hello and ask him if he slept well. She was sitting in a rocking chair by the window. She walked over and picked him up and went back to sit in the chair. She held him and rocked him. "Is this okay?" she asked and he said yes even though no one had ever held him and rocked him that he remembered. After a bit he guessed that he liked it and he went back to sleep.

When he woke again, it was black outside except through the window he could see a million stars. He'd always lived in the city and there were so many lights that it was hard to see stars. He was amazed. He sat up in the lady's arms and stared out the window. He asked where all the lights were and she told him that his new house was out in the country so there weren't many outside lights. She asked if that scared him and he said that nothing scared him. She said it was okay to be scared of some things…that only if you're scared, do you get to be brave. He didn't understand that yet.

Then they went down some beautiful stairs where the man greeted them, giving Elliot a hug and kissing his cheek. Elliot decided that he liked that so he smiled at the man. "So, your new mom made macaroni and cheese for dinner. Do you like macaroni and cheese with garlic bread?" Oh, yes, he did.

After dinner, his new parents showed him all around the house. It seemed to go on and on. There were so many rooms and a really big back porch with a really big back yard and water!

There was a big lake in the back yard and his new dad said that they could go down to the water tomorrow and sit on the dock and that he even had a boat and they could all go for a ride! Elliot was so excited that he couldn't keep still and so Grace and Carrick got their first look at all the energy that had cost Elliot a couple of foster homes in the past. The kid was a hurricane in a little towheaded package. Breakage became a normal part of the day with Elliot who was always very surprised and very sorry. Grace had to hide her smile at the look of dismay on Elliot's face. He always seemed stunned that he'd broken something. Grace and Carrick learned to start decorating like parents and not rich, single people.

Elliot's mother was desperately ill and he understood that. He wasn't upset at seeing her. His whole life she'd been sick looking so this was nothing shocking. His new mom and dad explained to him about death and that his mommy was going to die soon. He thought it over and asked some questions and figured he understood. His mommy's heart would stop beating and she would stop breathing and then she would be dead. She wouldn't move anymore or see him. They would put her in a box and put the box in the ground and put a big stone on top with her name on it. Elliot crawled into his new dad's lap and curled up. He would be safe and his mommy wouldn't hurt anymore. Her spirit would be free from her sick body and would go to a place called heaven where she would always watch out for him from above. He'd have a new mommy and a daddy and an angel mommy.

A couple of weeks after he moved into the new house, he asked his new parents if his old mommy could live there until she went to heaven because she had never got to live in any place nice. Grace and Carrick were skeptical. They worried that being in the house where his mother died might be upsetting for him but they talked it through with him and agreed. So Delta was carried in on a stretcher and put into a hospital bed in the downstairs guest room. Grace and Carrick had hospice for her and nurses to help. Delta was amazed and so happy. She could look out her window and see the yard and the Sound in the distance. Sometimes, she was well enough to sit in a wheelchair so they built a ramp and took her off the porch and down to the water. As Grace stood next to her one day, Delta reached out and took her hand. For a while she said nothing and then, looking up, she said thank you and I'm going to die so happy knowing my son is with such good people.

A week later Delta was gone in the night while Elliot was sleeping. After debating a bit, Grace and Carrick agreed that Elliot was a special little guy who could handle seeing his mother's dead body and, indeed, would need to say goodbye. So, they woke him together and he knew right away. He ran down the stair and stood on a stool so he could reach his mother. He stroked her face and kissed her and climbed into the bed to hold her. He told Grace later that his mother had cried once when she visited him at one of the foster homes because she was too weak to hold him on her lap. So they left him alone with her for a while and then Carrick picked him and carried him back to his bed. He explained that Grace was calling the funeral home and that they would come to pick up his mother and take her to bath her and dress her in a pretty outfit and then put her in the coffin they'd chosen. It's a really pretty coffin, he explained. Pink with roses on it. Elliot asked if she'd have a pretty dress because she never had one of those either and Carrick said that Grace had gone shopping and spent a long time looking for the prettiest dress she could find.

Elliot wanted to go back downstairs to watch them take his mother away but his dad explained that the men from the mortuary would be putting his mother's body in a black bag and it would be too hard for a little boy, even a superboy like Elliot, to see so his dad had to tell him no.

Elliot looked up at him. His dad was looking out for him. It was the first time that Elliot really understood that he had a dad now.

"Daddy, would you lie with me until I fall asleep in case I get scared?"

"You bet, son. Anytime. You just have to ask. Want me to hold you, too?"

"Yep."

"Just so you know, son. We'll have your mother's funeral in 2 days. Today is Thursday. So mommy Delta will be buried on Saturday at a real nice place called Forest Lawn. It's a special place where all the people we love are buried. So, we're going to bury Delta there, too, because we all loved her."

"Okay. 2 days. Saturday. Okay, dad."

Carrick held his new son in his arms and thought that it was he who had died and gone to heaven. Elliot had been with them less than a month and Carrick, like the father of any newborn, could not remember how life had been before this child arrived. 'Course, most newborns did not break all the bric-a-brac lying about. Carrick lay there, musing on energy-sucking activities in which to enroll his new son, until he fell asleep.

Grace had handled all the arrangements for Delta's funeral, attempting to contact relatives or friends, placing the notice in all the newspapers. She picked out the plot with Elliot's input. He chose a spot on a hill so his mother could have a view 'cause he'd read a ghost story once where all the dead people liked to sit around on their gravestones and chat. So, Grace canceled the headstone she'd originally chosen and instead bought a bench.

On Saturday, Elliot was very solemn. He knew that he was going to see his mother but that she would be dead this time. They held a service in the Forest Lawn chapel and sang songs. Grace and Carrick were surprised to hear that their son could sing quite well. They let him stand on the back of the pew so he could see.

Then they all drove out to the gravesite, with Elliot kneeling and looking out the back window at the hearse carrying his mommy. He had thought that she looked really pretty in her coffin. She had never looked that good when she was alive. Grace explained that she was a pretty woman and now that she was no longer sick, you could see how pretty she'd really been. Elliot liked that explanation. He didn't need to hear all about the mortuary makeup magicians. They had, indeed, done a remarkable job. Elliot also approved of the coffin. Grace had spared no expense. It was a beauty. Elliot said that his mommy would be really comfortable in that box.

At the gravesite, the preacher said more words about god and eternal life and stuff. Grace and Carrick spoke very highly of Delta as a person and a mother and how fond of her they had become. They looked at the coffin and told Delta that they were deeply indebted to her for giving them a son, a wonderful son, who also loved her very much. Then Elliot insisted on getting up and saying that she was a good mommy and couldn't help that she got sick and that he loved her and goodbye. Then he started to cry and ran to Grace's lap.

He was quiet the rest of the day which was actually relaxing for a change, Carrick remarked, but it didn't last long. Elliot was soon tearing around. Carrick enrolled him in little league, a bowling league, a basketball league. He played with him at least 2 hours every day and asked Grace why they hadn't adopted an infant. Because infants don't sleep through the night, they wear diapers and they cry a lot. Okay, laughed Carrick. Then he got Elliot a dog, a lively lab, and the two spent hours out in the yard which Carrick soon had fenced when they got too close to the water.

For 2 years they lived happily with their son and Elliot thrived. He even settled down a bit. Perhaps some of his craziness had been a result of nervous energy. After all, his first six years had been strangers and uncertainty. Then one day Grace came home from the hospital in tears. She told Carrick about a four year boy who was emaciated, had been beaten and burned, left on the kitchen floor in a slum with his dead mother for several days and was terrified of being touched. Eight year old Elliot looked at them and very matter-of-factly announced that they had to go get him and bring him home. "Geez, if he won't let anybody touch him, he's never getting adopted and foster homes will keep kicking him out. I mean, we're the only ones who'll put up with him. So, go get him, Mom."

His parents looked at him and were again amazed. "You won't mind having another kid in the house? I mean, you've had us and the house and the yard and Bennie all to yourself. Having a second child means sharing all the attention, too. This has to be a family decision, son."

Elliot looked at them as if they'd forgotten that he was adopted. "I lived in foster homes for 5 years. I get it, dad. Go get the kid."

So, after waiting a couple of months through paperwork and interviews, they arrived home with the scrawniest thing Elliot had ever seen. He looked more like 2 than 4. _And_ he didn't talk. Elliot tried everything but the kid just looked at him. So, Elliot thought up hand gestures for the kid to use. Opening and closing his hand in front of his mouth meant that he was hungry and he was always hungry. The housekeeper found food hidden all over his room. Finally, Grace explained to him that any time he wanted food he just had to point to the fridge or the cabinet and someone would get him food.

He didn't want to be touched so bath time was tricky. Grace would sit by him and use a washcloth on herself to show him how to bath. Later, she learned that he had probably not been bathed in more than three years. He didn't want to bath his private parts in front of Grace so he and Elliot started bathing together and Elliot explained to him how boys wash up. Grace and Carrick listened at the door, laughing as Elliot explained how they had to lift up their little penis flaps and clean underneath or it could get really stinky after a while.

Bathing with Christian also taught Elliot where his little brother didn't want to be touched.

"So, no chest above your belly button, right?" Christian nodded.

"And nothing above the middle of your back, right?" Again Christian nodded.

"So, is that it or is there more?" Christian shook his head and Elliot grinned.

"So, that leaves plenty of places to tickle you or tackle you, doesn't it?" Christian laughed. It was the first sound besides whimpering that he had made.

Grace and Carrick told their eldest that he was a great big brother. "I know and boy, he sure needs one."

Two years later when Grace and Carrick brought home Mia, Elliot wondered what to do with a baby girl. It just laid there and it pooped. When her name was the first thing Christian ever said, Elliot growled at him, "I want you to know that I am highly insulted, little bro. Now, what's my name? Say it or I will tickle you 'til you pee!" When Christian hesitated, Elliot carried out his threat until Christian screamed, "Leliot".

"Okay, needs work but it'll do for now," conceded Elliot.

Despite Christian's issues and his temper, he and Elliot were close until Elliot went off to Harvard and Christian went off to Elena's. For the next four years, Elliot tried desperately to get his brother back. At first, he thought Christian was growing distant because of the distance. Elliot called every week, then every day. He flew home whenever he could but Christian never had time for him. Slowly, Elliot began to realize that something was really wrong. He walked into the bathroom they shared one night without knocking first and was horrified to see the welts and scars and marks all over Christian's body. His little brother was angry and embarrassed but refused to talk about it. Elliot kept the information from his parents, fearing that Christian would never forgive him. Keeping his secret helped Christian to warm to him a little anyway.

Christian's freshman year he and Elliot were flying to Boston together. Elliot thought that Christian would be excited but he was not. He was blue and nervous. And, somehow, Elliot knew it wasn't about school. In the year since he'd seen the beating that his little brother had taken, Elliot had done some investigating. He asked around. Why would someone willingly be beaten and then hide it? It had taken some time but months later a guy had approached him in the library and asked him if he was the one asking about BDSM. About what? Elliot said. Never mind, the guy said nervously but Elliot talked him into sitting down. This guy was a sub, he said, a submissive. It meant that he got off on being dominated. Then he explained different types of domination…some forms gentler than others. He took Elliot to a couple of local clubs where Elliot watched in revulsion and confusion as subs, mostly women, allowed themselves to be tied naked to crosses and spread-eagled and bound in uncomfortable positions and whipped and hit with canes, some with metal spikes, with belts, with ball gags and then fucked hard in every possible position.

Now Elliot was a very sexually active guy but this, this was a whole new world and one in which he found that he had absolutely no interest. Several naked women approached him and offered to sub for him and he wanted to throw his jacket around them and get them out of there but he knew that they didn't want to be saved. They liked every bit of it. There were a variety of tastes but mostly they enjoyed the pain. He watched women have screaming orgasms while being beaten with a belt. What the ever living hell made people want this? Why did his little brother want this?

Once they were both at Harvard, Elliot kept a closer watch on Christian. Gradually, Christian seemed to lighten up. It was as if he could relax. Elliot had developed a suspicion about Elena but he wasn't sure that she was Christian's dominant. Then, one night while sitting around Christian's room watching a game on his TV, he got a look at Christian's phone while he was taking a shower. Elena's number was on speed dial. Except for his family, every call was to or from Elena. There were many text and some voicemails…all cooing at Christian but nonetheless demanding certain behaviors from him. He was to come home more often. He was allowed random fucks but never the same girl twice no matter how good she was. He wasn't to go to any local BDSM clubs. He belonged to her and only her. He hadn't called when she'd told him to so he should expect punishment. He had committed several unnamed infractions and she wanted him to come home this weekend for his punishments.

When Christian came out of the bathroom, he found his brother sitting on the side of his bed holding his phone and bawling his eyes out. Christian froze in fear. Then, after a few moments he understood that his big brother wasn't angry with him, he was hurting for him. He sat down next to him, gently removed the phone from his hand and set it down on the nightstand. He was wearing a robe over his boxers. He took it off and Elliot could see scars again and welts that were healing because Christian hadn't been home in a while.

"If I don't go home soon, she'll come here. She'll take me to a private club."

Elliot sniffed and rubbed his runny nose on Christian's robe. "She's never coming near you ever again, Christian. When did this start…and why?" Christian hesitated so Elliot upped the ante. "You tell me everything or I tell the folks."

"God, no, you can't ever do that, Elliot. It would kill Mom. She'd blame herself. You know, she would. Mia would kill Elena and go to jail. And if it went public, the shame on the family, the scandal. They'd all hate us. Everyone would think that I'm a freak. I want my own business, you know that. I'd never have that if this got out and Elena would find a way without involving herself. I'm trapped, Elliot. If I don't do what she says, she'll ruin me, you, everyone."

Christian then began to cry. He was so scared, so ashamed. Elliot put his arm around his shoulder. "I'm your big brother. I'll always protect you, Christian."

"Give me your phone. Don't argue with me. Hand it over now."

Elliot dialed Elena's number. She picked up on the 2nd ring.

"Christian, darling. I am very angry with you. You've earned quite a few punishments."

Elliot put the phone on speaker. "Yeah, well, you, Elena, have earned quite a few decades in prison…that or a bullet in the brain." There was an audible gasp from the other end of the line.

"Elliot, give the phone to your brother. I need to speak with him...NOW!"

"You aren't speaking to my brother, Elena, but you and I are going to have a short chat. Your reign of terror ends tonight. You don't call my brother ever again. You don't come near my brother ever again and any goons you have following him around will have their brains bashed in by my goons."

"I think you'll find, dear Elliot, that I own your brother. It is only because of the discipline I've instilled in him that he is even at Harvard instead of the state penitentiary.

"It is only because of the love of his family and his own innate strength of character that your abuse of him hasn't driven him insane or murderous."

"Speaking of love of family, I'm sure that Christian doesn't want them to know about his secret life or his love of BDSM."

"And do you want them to know? You know, Elena, I did a little study of my own, even visited a few local clubs, and you know what I discovered. Your brand of BDSM is nothing more than pure and simple sadism. It is not consensual and is for no one's pleasure but your own. You are not a practitioner of BDSM, Elena. You're just a crazy old lady who likes to beat up on people for fun. I made some calls to the clubs in Seattle and you are no longer welcome there. The word is also out that anyone who wants to be your sub must be a complete masochist. It's gonna get lonely down in your dungeon, Elena."

"I have a lot of evidence of your brother's love of my dungeon, Elliot. I can ruin all of you."

"If there is so much as a tiny item in the Seattle Nooz, Elena, I will come after you and I don't mean legally. You can swear on your black heart that it wasn't you but it won't matter. And that sweet life you lead, attending galas with your dumb ass husband on your arm, you can forget those invitations. And your husband may not know about the dungeon in your basement or your visits to BDSM clubs but he'll find out and you won't get a dime in the divorce. Any way you look at this, you rancid bitch, you lose. Now, like I said, as far as you're concerned, Christian Grey no longer exist." At that, Elliot smiled and pressed END.

"Did you have her banned from the clubs?" asked Christian with wide eyes.

"No, but I will. I'll also put out the word on her. Don't worry, Christian, there is nothing she can do that won't come back to bite her even harder. But keep your eye out as you go about campus for anyone watching you and let me know. Use your phone. Get a picture. I'm not taking any chances that she'd have you or me attacked as payback.

Christian, you have to talk to mom and dad. You've been shutting the family out for years now and they deserve to know why. Chris, buddy, they think that you don't love them. You can't say anything to Mia yet. She's too young but you gotta start fussing over her again. You know that she's always adored you. I'm just the other guy in the house," he laughed.

"I can't," Elliot, "I just can't face them."

"Chris, you didn't do anything wrong. You were a victim of a pedophile."

"Elliot, I couldn't be touched by the girls at school and I was a walking hard-on. Elena let me fuck her in exchange for all that BDSM shit. I'm not innocent."

"Little bro, you were a 14 year old child. You may not see that 'cause 5 years doesn't seem that

long ago to you but when you're a 23 year old man like me, you might finally recognize it for what it was. You were too young to even be having sex. You should have been jerking off in the shower like other 14 year olds."

"I thought I deserved all that abuse 'cause I was a rotten kid. I fought all the time and got kicked out of school."

"You were frustrated because you couldn't be touched and assholes liked to push you in the chest because they knew it would set you off. You got played. You just needed a better shrink like that guy you see here. That aversion therapy stuff really works, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but it's hell."

"Yeah, well, what you went through as a little kid was hell. I'd love to get Elena and that pimp in the same dungeon. But it is what it is and I meant what I said to that bitch…it's only your own innate strength of character that's kept you from becoming a real head case. After everything the pimp did and then a decade later and you're right back in hell, well, I respect you, Christian. Somehow you turned out a good guy, a real good guy. Now, think real hard about talking to mom and dad or, at the very least, join the family again. God, I think if you kissed Mom hello, she'd burst into tears of joy."

"Let's go home next weekend, Elliot. I think I'd like to see everyone," smiled Christian.

 **THE BUSINESS**

Christian had been awake for a couple of hours. He never slept well after Ana had a nightmare. Even though he caught it before it got too bad, he couldn't relax. If it got to the point where Ana was crying or saying "no, no, hurts", he knew that she was reliving having a beer bottle pushed up inside her. He had to find a way to end these dreams, to keep his wife from having to relive that horror show over and over. He also needed to talk to his mother about these fainting spells of Ana's. God, she was such a little thing, such a fragile girl. Ending the dreams and the spells could go a long way toward making her body as strong as her mind. She was the bravest, strongest person he knew. Ana began to stir. He looked at her closely. Was she waking or starting another nightmare. She often had them more than once a night.

Her eyes slowly opened and then she saw him and smiled. "What time is it?"

"Not quite 8 am. You can sleep longer if you want."

"Well, what are you going to do?"

"I thought I'd lie here and play with my wife's perfect little breasts. Maybe suck on her nipples. Then kiss my way down her tummy and clean out her belly button with my tongue."

"Clean out my…I don't have a dirty belly button," Ana protested indignantly.

"That's because I'm always on belly button duty. Got to keep up on maintenance, you know."

"Hmmm…maybe I should be on foreskin duty. I'm always blowing that thing and I never check for lint and such." She tsked as she picked up his dick and pulled back his foreskin. Then she kissed it. Seems tidy enough."

"Well, thanks to that thorough inspection, it is now hard enough, too" Christian rolled over on top of his wife and lifted her legs around his back. "You know, you have Elliot to thank for my fantastic dick hygiene," he told her. "Well, that's quite the revelation," she gasped as he slammed into her. "Yeah, we bathed together and he showed me how I should always…oh, my god, you feel so good…" "Yes," gasped Ana again, "should always…" "…hmmm, what? Oh, yeah, hmm...lift my penis flap to clean under….Jesus, Ana, Ana" he muffled his scream in her shoulder. Then breathing hard, he said, "there." Then he slid down her body, licking and nibbling while rubbing her g-spot until she came screaming his name.

"Well, I suppose the folks know that we're up now," remarked Christian.

"You're supposed to put your mouth over mine when I start to scream," chided Ana.

"You came too fast. I couldn't get up there quickly enough," he said as they both laughed hysterically.

As Ana dressed, Christian took the opportunity to talk to his mother. "Mom, I'm worried about Ana's health."

"Well, dear, I'd say that she sounds quite hardy, "she was giggling as Christian turned bright red.

"I was referring to her fainting spells. Can we get her in for a workup? She hasn't had a physical exam since she was 13."

"13! That's ridiculous! What was that exam for?"

"Her period started and it was a doozy. I guess she bled so much that she couldn't stay conscious so her foster mother took her to the emergency room where they determined that she was having an extremely heavy flow and was, consequently, anemic. Combine that with her heart issue and the doctor put her on the pill. It helped. Her periods are short and light now. But it never occurred to any adult in charge of her for the next 5 years to get her checked out now and again. I wonder if the social workers even passed along her medical records. I was hoping that we could get those, too.

She had a couple of severe traumas when she was seven and there's never been any follow-up on those either."

"Can you tell me about them?" asked Grace. "I don't know, Mom. There kind of Ana's to tell. She might want to keep them between her and her doctor."

"Trying to fix me again, Grey?" Ana smiled into his neck as she wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Well," my dear wife, "you have a few off-model parts. Please, honey, let Mom set you up for a physical and, please, tell the doctor everything. It could all matter even if you don't think so." he begged. Ana saw the fear in his eyes and kissed his cheek. "I shall bare my body and soul, I promise. No stone shall go unturned. Will you try to stop worrying for the morning now? You have to get cracking on making us our first million unless you want me to keep sending your mother into giggle fits every morning," she grinned mischievously at Grace who blushed and protested that she hadn't heard a thing, not a thing, just the geese screaming over the water.

Ana and Christian were laughing with tears flowing as Carrick came in from his study and Elliot wandered in for his breakfast and both were thoroughly pissed to be left out of the joke.

"Don't you ever eat at your own home, Elliot?"

"Nope." Mom, can you make me a lunch today? I'm going to be too busy to leave the site."

"Sure, sweetie. How about a chicken salad sandwich, a few of those red potatoes from last night, a salad, a couple of slices of pie? Anything else you can think of?" Grace smiled at the appetite of her eldest. He was a big boy.

"Geez, Mom, why don't you just send him off with the entire fridge?" sneered Christian.

"Well, health-nut, if you ever do anything besides sit on your rump planning your empire, you might work up an appetite, too," sneered Elliot right back at him.

"Okay, boys, enough," scolded Carrick. "Christian, you and I have to get to work."

"Ah, Dad, I was planning on going with Ana to the hospital today."

"While I'm sure that you'd enjoy sitting in on my exams, I think you'll just have to wait to hear all about my pap smear later on today," grinned Ana. "And then later you can tell me all about your deals."

Christian was not happy but he realized that watching Ana be examined would probably not ease his worry. She was right. He should stay home and get preoccupied with business.

"Mom, you'll make sure she gets everything, right? And Ana, you promised you won't leave out any of, you know, your history? You realize that you'll be grilled later?"

"Yes, dear. I understand." Ana looked at Christian seriously and kissed his lips just as seriously.

Christian tried his damnedest to concentrate on the deal with Rodgers Telecommunications but Carrick had to keep asking him to repeat what he'd just told him. "Son, I know that you're worried about your wife but try to pay some attention here."

"I can't, Dad, I'm sorry but I'm just scared. What if there is something really wrong? I mean, she hardly eats, she doesn't sleep well, she's so thin and fragile? I don't know what I'd do if I lost her. Dad, I just can't lose her." Christian put his head down in his hands. Carrick came around the side of the desk and knelt in front of his son. "Son, look at me. Your girl has so much spirit. If she were seriously ill, she'd be dragging around. But look at her. She bounces into rooms. Yesterday, after a long drive and a fainting spell, she's up baking pies."

"That's true," Christian conceded. "She always bounces back. I'll just be better when she gets home. I wonder if we'll get any answers today. You know how doctors always tell you the lab results will be back in a week. I'll be dead from worry in a week." Christian laughed weakly.

"While Ana is in the kitchen, baking pies from Elliot's list. Geez, that list. She'll be baking pies until the cows come home." Carrick laughed.

"Whose cows would those be, Dad? Are we getting cows?"

"Let's get back to work, okay. If we don't have some progress to show Ana when she gets back, we're gonna hear about it. That girl is smart and right on top of things. Maybe you should be baking the pies."

"Oh, yeah. I can see the headlines. 'Entire Grey Family Wiped Out By Pies'.

So, the guys were laughing loudly when Ana came and leaned up against the door frame.

"Accomplish much today, fellas?" She looked at them accusingly.

"Well, it wasn't from lack of trying on my part," laughed Carrick, "but your husband here lacked the proper concentration."

"Well, what did the doctors say?" asked Christian anxiously. He was practically sweating from nerves. "Goodness," soothed Ana, "you need pie."

She pulled him into the kitchen, followed by Carrick and they sat at the bar while Grace and Ana dished up apple pie. "Sorry, I know cherry is your favorite but Elliot ran off with the whole thing for his lunch."

"Never mind the pie, Ana," Christian grimaced.

"Okay, I told the doctor about the punch."

"The what!" gasped Carrick. "Who punched you?"

"When I was seven, one of my mother's boyfriends, and no, you're not going to get Elliot and go kill him, Christian…one of my mother's boyfriends punched me in the chest and I stopped breathing. Fortunately, we lived near a fire station. My heart had stopped and they revived me. I spent a day in the hospital and it was decided that I was fine and I was sent home. Turns out that that injury developed into a heart rhythm disorder, also known as Atrial Fibrillation. Now before you faint, honey, it is a common problem in which the upper chambers of the heart beat fast and out of rhythm. It can become dangerous over time but not if I take medication and follow doctor's orders which mainly involve remaining calm and getting plenty of rest. So, I get to take daily naps, Ah!" she laughed. "So, when the kids are making you crazy, I'll be off to get my nap. Sounds like a win to me."

While Ana was laughing, Christian had a look on his face like she'd been handed a death sentence. "You have a bad heart thanks to that piece of shit and you want me to not kill him?"

"Honey, I don't even know his name or where he is. You'll have to go beat up something else. And did you miss the part where I said that this is a COMMON problem?"

"No, but I heard about the DANGEROUS OVER TIME part." Christian exclaimed. He put his head on the counter. Ana leaned over and shoved a piece of pie under his head. "I'm fine, Christian, as long as my husband doesn't make me constantly anxious with his worrying."

"Okay. What else?"

"Well, I'm too thin. So I get to stuff my face…or rather, you do. See, you get to have fun," she teased him.

"I need to build muscle so I'm going to start working out with Mia. That girl can LIFT things, heavy things, too." Ana said admiringly.

"I'm anemic so I've been prescribed iron pills. And there are lab results that won't be ready for a week or so."

"Natch," Christian grumbled.

Your mother and the doctor are trying to get my medical records, such as they might be, from DCF but since I saw a doctor only twice before in my life, there probably won't be much. I suppose now that I'm married to you, I'll be seeing doctors every other week and I'll have a file a mile thick soon." Ana was fake pouting but she loved that he cared so much. No one else in her life, with the exception of Kate and her family, had ever worried about her. She liked it.

Later, alone in their room, Christian asked about the beer bottle injury. Ana assured him that there was no permanent damage and the tears had healed well. She kidded him that his thick dick made more of an impression that a bottle of Bud.

Every morning thereafter Ana would find a glass of water and her new medication sitting on the bathroom counter with a note saying, TAKE THESE NOW.

So, every night, Christian found a note next to his toothbrush, TAKE YOUR WIFE NOW.

Ros was finishing up her masters but she emailed Christian about an acquisition she wanted him to look into. Christian emailed back that another acquisition wasn't in the budget. Ros wrote back to put it in the budget. He had to smile. So, he went to his dad and asked him what he thought.

"Well, you're right. The Rodgers acquisition will take all of your trust fund. Of course, I…"

"No, Dad. This is my company. No investors. No loans."

"Well," said Ana as she stood in the doorway, "I'm not an investor or a lender, am I? As your wife, I am a co-owner, am I not? You wouldn't sign the prenup, stupid, so half of everything is mine, right?"

Christian grinned. Sometimes he loved her so much, he thought he'd burst. She stood with the sun shining behind her, lighting up her hair and showing her legs through the little white dress she was wearing. If his dad hadn't been sitting right there…..

He beaconed her over to his lap and kissed her softly.

"I think we'll need more than you have in your piggy bank, sweetie." Carrick couldn't stop beaming. Look at his son…his once terribly troubled son…the one he and Grace used to cry over at night after one of his nightmares and feared he was suicidal when he was 13. And now, look at him. Carrick was afraid that he might start crying. Gosh, how he loved this girl his son had the good sense to marry.

"Well, my misogynistic husband, I have a nice little pile of dough in my piggy bank. Would a million do?" Ana grinned snidely.

"What?"

"Give or take. You married into money, honey," she snickered.

"How, what, how…." Christian began babbling.

"It's a bit of a story but for now let's just say that my little books sell well. I've paid my father's medical bills ahead for a few months so I have a million plus left in my piggy bank. Is that enough to buy this other acquisition? Ros is usually right about these things, you know and I'd hate to see you miss out on one of her calls."

Christian was just gazing at her with that look that Carrick had seen several times before when she just walked into a room. Amazement. Wonder.

"Well, Dad," Ana asked, "can we do it with that much?"

Carrick smiled. It was the first time that she'd called him Dad although he'd heard her call Grace 'Mom' several times and he had to admit that he felt envious.

"Let us work the numbers, sweetheart," he said, "and we'll see. Christian, if you could let go of your wife for a while…."

"I'll be out baking pies like a good little wife. Then we'll talk business."

 **KATE**

Christian and Carrick had wearied of business and called it a day. Grace was tired after her shift at the hospital and Elliot had just come clomping through in his work boots, grabbed a beer and plopped himself down on the couch next to Christian. Everyone looked to Grace. "Forget it. We're ordering in and someone else is making the call, too."

Then Mia came dragging herself down the stairs and fell onto the couch against her mother who reached an arm around her daughter's shoulders. It wasn't like Mia to be in a slump.

"What's up, buttercup? You look like you lost your best friend."

"My best friend is skyping with _her_ best friend," Mia replied miserably.

"Oh, Ana is talking to Kate," explained Christian. "I think they miss each other. Kate especially misses Ana. It was bad enough when I came into the picture but then they at least saw each other. Kate'll be home for the holidays and you can meet. You already know her parents.

"Who's that?" asked Carrick.

"The Kavanaugh's. You know, Kavanaugh Media? They're at the gala every year."

"I've never noticed a girl with them and their son's been studying in Europe for years," said Grace. "Yeah," said Carrick, "Ethan's been at Oxford and Kate never attends galas."

Christian laughed, "Kate's afraid that Mia will drag her up on the stage for the dance auction. She also thinks all that dressing up is just annoying. But she's been a great friend to Ana. Great meet up story. Ana's last foster home was in Michigan, near the shore. One day Kate meets her by the water and they hit it off. Kate takes her home for dinner and it's getting late, after dark. Kate's dad gets concerned that Ana's parents will worry about her and she says that it's Saturday night so they won't stumble in until around 2 am. Well, Eamon and Dana are horrified. That's when they learn that Ana is a foster child, that she does all the housework. She sees the parents when she makes them breakfast but after work they hang out at their favorite bar until closing and by that time, Ana's in bed. So she sees these people maybe 5 hours out of the entire week! But Ana thinks this is great. As long as she keeps up the house and the laundry and the meals are ready, they leave her alone.

Well, Eamon drives her home and he and Dana can't stop thinking about this little girl all on her own so they spend the rest of the summer vacation kind of looking after her and she and Kate become best friends. Now Ana's never had a friend so when she and Kate have to part, it's pretty hard. Kate cries all the way back to Seattle. When Eamon and Dana get back, they start putting out feelers and pulling strings and somehow they get Ana transferred to the custody of the state of Washington and then to their home. Ana lived with them until she went off to Harvard. Kate pitches a fit so her parents sent her across the country to go to Harvard, too. It was hard for Dana. She wanted her little girl to go to WSU. She already had lost her son to Europe."

"Well, I remember Eamon very proudly talking about his kids being at Oxford and Harvard but I don't remember a word about a foster daughter. Although come to think of it, Ana did "go visiting" as she put it a couple of times and I never thought to ask her where," said Grace. "Now why would I not ask? I guess I thought she was just going to the library or something."

"Geez, Mom, you work like 50 hours a week. And then, of course, you're always having to feed Elliot."

"I can feed Elliot for you, Mom. I should be earning my keep around here," Ana said, skipping into the room.

"Honey, you made enough pie to last him a month. 'Course, they are mostly gone, aren't they?"

"Mia should be in charge of dessert. Didn't she graduate from that fancy culinary joint in Paris?" complained Elliot. "I don't care how many roofs you walk around on, Elliot, you're gonna get fat and I'm not contributing to your heart disease," Mia answered.

"How Kate?" asked Christian.

"Oh, she's got a real jerk for a thesis advisor. You know that Kate doesn't suffer fools gladly and this guy is a fool's fool. It's taking every ounce of nice she has to tolerate him and he still treats her so rudely. Told her that she doesn't belong at Harvard. She pointed out that she had a 4.0 GPA and is valedictorian of her class but actually that's probably the problem. He's stupid and she isn't. I told her to stop raising her hand in class. She knows all the right questions and he doesn't know any of the answers. Students have started turning to her to ask questions instead of him. I just know that he'd screw with her GPA if he could."

"Why can't he?" Asked Elliot.

Ana giggled and looked Christian. "Because he's got a real smart TA who does all his grading for him." "Oh, those damn TAs," groaned Christian.

"I met Kate one of first nights that Ana spent with me. She had a nightmare and I woke up too late to head it off. She wasn't breathing and I called the EMTs. While they're working on her, I'm out in the hallway, freaking out, banging my head back against the concrete walls when suddenly there's this pillow stuck between my head and the wall. I look over and there this girl holding the pillow.

"Ana always comes thru these okay," she tells me, " but she doesn't need a boyfriend with brain damage."

Ana laughed. "Yes, that would be Kate. Don't let her fool you though. Her first experience she freaked, too. The EMTs weren't necessary. I would have woken up or slept through it."

"Sure," sighed Christian, as he kissed the top of her head. "Of course, _I_ might need the EMTs."

"So, this Kate. What's she look like?" Elliot asked nonchalantly.

"Forget it. She definitely isn't your type."

"What's Elliot's type?" asked Ana.

"Skanky and bottle blonde," answered Christian.

"Oh, well, no, then," agreed Ana. "She kind of looks like an adult Shirley Temple."

"Yikes," grimaced Elliot.

"Yeah, no skank. No blonde."

Christian leaned over to whisper to Ana when Elliot got up to order Chinese for dinner. "Elliot's thinking of Shirley Temple Black, not the Shirley Temple from the black &white movie with Cary Grant." "Oh," giggled Ana, "then this should be fun, eh?"

"Hey, Mia, while we're waiting for dinner, why don't we go do a mani/pedi together?"

Mia's face lit up like Christmas and the two girls ran up the stairs together, giggling like ten year olds. "Well, I guess Mia got her friend back," smiled Grace.

 **ELENA**

Christian had told Ana everything about his experience with Elena and, unbeknownst to him, Ana had not forgotten a single detail nor had she forgotten her intentions to make Elena pay.

She did know how Elliot felt but she wondered about Carrick. He seemed like a sharp guy, one who did not have his wife's gift of kindness and blindness to other's faults. Indeed, Grace seemed to be the only person in the family who liked Elena. She had weekly lunches with her, confided in her and overlooked Elena's flaws. She felt badly for ignoring all Elena's attempts to come around for a visit. She knew that the women in her circle disliked Elena and why.

She couldn't really blame them. They were dignified with understated makeup and hair styled. Their clothing styles were likewise elegant.

Elena, tho, was not understated or elegant. She had come from a very poor family, hadn't had a good education and concentrated mainly on rising above her original station in life. She read a lot of magazines and learned how to attract and please men. She'd been through several before she met Eric Lincoln, the son of a timber baron. She knew just how to work him and he fell hard for her. She didn't smile sweetly and patiently wait for him to come to her. She came onto him…hard. She let him know in no uncertain terms that she wanted him. By the time she met Grace, she'd been married to Eric for ten years and had acquired all the material evidence of wealth necessary to get her into the right places and the right clubs. However, she had never acquired the soft, elegant grace of the other wives. She was pushy, loud, haughty and arrogant.

She was also confused and failed to understand why the other rich wives didn't want to include her in their circle. She rarely received invitations except to large fundraisers and even with her handsome husband on her arm, she still felt like poor trash. Of course, it didn't help that she gave off a strange vibe. No one could put their finger on what it was about her that actually frightened them. After all, none of them had ever met a dominatrix.

They didn't know that Elena had built a secret dungeon in her basement. They didn't know that she had young boys, many under aged, who served as her subs. They didn't know that she had her own business securing subs from the private BDSM clubs. She offered lessons in how to be dominant. At the request of Doms she would provide subs perfectly trained by Elena herself to please the Doms.

While anathema to the majority of society, Dom/sub relations were not illegal and were a way of life for those in the BDSM community. Still, legal or not, knowledge of Elena's involvement in this community would be the end of her and her husband's business. Eric had no idea of the wealth, under the table and tax-free, that his wife brought to their coffers. He believed that her cover business, Esclava the most elite of salons in Seattle, was the source. Esclava was indeed elite….even though the elite who used her services scorned Elena, they delighted in the services provided by her salon.

The salon was where Grace first met Elena and where Elena learned to emulate Grace's elegance. In time, she maneuvered herself into Grace's good heart and her life. Her family's dislike of Elena only strengthened her loyalty to Elena. She felt that they were put off by Elena's rough edges and lack of couth. But Elena was kind to her, she listened to her and kept her confidence. It was, indeed, her surety that she could tell Elena anything and it would remain secret that led her to unburden herself of her many concerns about her children, mostly Christian and his anger and fighting. Her faith in Elena led her to agree that manual labor would be good for her son…that he could take out his aggressions on the piles of remodeling rubble in Elena's backyard and all the other endless chores Elena had for him.

Of course, it never occurred to dear Grace that she had delivered her beloved son to the arms of the devil. She didn't realize that Grace would teach her son discipline, strength and sex with whips, ropes, restraints, ball gags and all manner of humiliation and punishment. Now, thanks to Elliot's influence, Elena was banned from most BDSM clubs. She was having difficulty recruiting subs for her clients. Her wealth was diminishing. Her salon was still doing well, largely due to her Grey clientele. Elliot was still trying to find a way to stop his mother and Mia from supporting the place. He could destroy her completely if only his little brother would fess up about his abuse. However, Christian was still convinced that she had saved him from ruining himself with his temper and alcohol abuse. At least Christian had cut himself from further association with Elena. He had spoken to her one last time and explained that his involvement with Ana would make friendship with her impossible. Nonsense, thought Elena, no little girlfriend was taking her prize possession from her. Elena would do the taking.

 **THE PARTY**

Grace had decided that now that Ana had met all of the family and was at ease with them that it was time for a wedding reception. She may not have been able to throw a beautiful wedding in the backyard but she could certainly have a gorgeous reception. She was even after Ana to wear a wedding dress as any bride would to her reception.

"Christian, I think I'd feel silly wearing a wedding gown. What do you think of your mother's idea?"

"Well, if you'd feel uncomfortable, I'd want you to do what you want," Christian replied.

"Well, I guess I got my answer," sighed Ana.

"What do you mean," asked Christian, with an expression of innocence on his face.

"Don't be obtuse," accused Ana. "You want me in a wedding dress as much as your mother."

Christian grabbed his wife and pulled her down unto the bed. "Mostly, I want you naked, you know that," he laughed, nuzzling her neck and caressing her breast. My main ambition in life is to have you in bed with me. 'Course, Grace is forcing me into a tux, you know. Wouldn't seem fair that you get to run around all afternoon in a velour tracksuit."

"Like grammie," laughed Ana. "I'd love those wedding photos. How about a white velour track suit?"

"Being serious for a moment…Ana, I would love to see you in a wedding dress. That, in fact, is the only part of our ceremony that I missed. You were beautiful but watching you walk down an aisle to me…."

"Wait a minute, you don't just want the dress, you want to redo the whole thing, don't you?"

"Well, Mia has hinted that she'd love to be a bridesmaid and Kate called to ask if there was any chance I could talk you into a renewal of our vows," Christian winced.

"Kate called you! She was a witness at our wedding! Now she's conniving! I should have known I wouldn't get away with a quickie at city hall, damn," groaned Ana.

"I swear to you, darling, I had no underhanded intentions. When Mom suggested a formal reception, I told her that you'd be happier with a backyard BBQ and she said that I was crazy….that every girl wants a formal ceremony. She even accused me of being the one who wanted a quickie at City Hall which is true but I guess I should have known that wouldn't be the end of it."

"How big are we talking, Christian?" Between the Kavanaugh's and the Grey's, this thing could be massive. Mia showed me videos of last year's gala to prepare me for the one upcoming. Your mother can throw one hell of a 'little gathering'. Should I double up on my meds?"

"Dinner won't be for another hour," Christian breathed softly, while he brushed his lips over hers. Let's do something relaxing," he groaned, slipping his hand into her panties.

For the next hour, Christian 'relaxed' Ana every which way he knew how, bringing her to orgasm again and again….of course, he did the same for himself. He wondered if other men came just watching their women cum. Her pleasure drove him crazy, since the very first time. The noises she made, the way she grabbed his hair, both breathed his name and screamed it….threw her head back and arched her back….everything she did made him light up like fireworks. He couldn't say 'I love you' enough. He'd never, he thought, be able to tell her how much he loved her.

He was just about to go to work on Ana's g-spot again when Mia knocked on the door to alert them to dinner. "If you two could stop long enough to take in sustenance, your presence is required at the table," she snarked.

Ana was trying to catch her breath and laying across her husband's chest. "I really think that we should get in a quick shower before we sit down next to people. We must just reek of sex."

"You smell wonderful, my love," sighed Christian. "Think that you can stay awake during dinner?" Ana giggled as she kissed her way down his chest and then, leaving him very much awake, got up to go into the bathroom.

As they all sat around the table, the air hung heavy with the unspoken. Finally, as Gretchen served cherry pie, Grace spoke. "Ana, I'm sure that Christian has mentioned to you that I would like to have a small gathering," Mia stifled a giggle as Grace gave her a dirty look, "to celebrate your marriage. What do you think?"

Ana narrowed her eyes at her now beloved mother-in-law. "Let's cut the crap, Mom. You want a huge gathering of Kavanaugh's, Grey's, friends, business associates, etc. You also want me to wear a wedding dress, Christian in a tux, an arbor of roses and a minister in front of whom your son and I will once again profess our vows. And if I say no, you will nod with patient understanding and then sulk with dignity until you get another shot at a wedding with Mia or Elliot. Fess up, Mom," Ana demanded.

The entire table broke into howls of laughter.

"She's got you, Grace," roared Carrick.

Grace tried to maintain a pained expression of being insulted as a smile played at the edges of her lips.

"Very well, my dear, if you insist on BBQ, I'm sure that I can find some bales of hay, perhaps a cow or two.

"NO!" screamed Mia. She then clammed up, looked guiltily at Ana and confessed that she and Kate wanted to be bridesmaids.

"Don't give me that baloney about Kate, Mia. She was already my bridesmaid and she'd rather wear jeans and pet a cow."

Then Ana got up from her chair and walked over to a startled Grace who looked as if she was prepared to be whacked. Instead, Ana bent down, wrapped her arms around her new Mom and, with tears in her eyes, told her that she could throw any kind of party she wanted to as long as it made her beloved mother-in-law happy.

"Mia, after dinner, let's get a look at all those wedding magazines your mom has stashed under the couch. I'd like to find nice pink cummerbunds for the boys. Pink will go nicely with Elliot's blonde hair, don't you think?"

Elliot followed them out, begging them, no pink, please, come on, no pink, please.

It was pathetic.

 **THE KAVANAUGHS**

Grace wasted no time in getting started on the wedding. Within days she'd chosen the date and time and guest list. Dana Kavanaugh would be making Ana's dress and as soon as Kate made it into town, she and Mia would choose bridesmaid dresses. Ana had put her foot down at more than 2 bridesmaids. Ethan had agreed to fly in for his little foster sister's wedding after teasing her mercilessly on skype. "You really thought you'd get away with it? The second Grace saw that ring, she was probably on the phone to my mother, planning the wedding. As far as they're concerned, you and Christian are still living in sin," said Ethan, cracking up at the notion that Ana thought she could sneak a wedding past either of their mothers. Since Ana had become their foster child, she and Eamon had talked about the fun of marrying off not one but two daughters.

Actually, the Kavanaughs and the Greys had never been close. They knew of each through business connections but had never discussed their children. The Kavanaughs knew only that the Grey children were all adopted and the Greys knew only that the Kavanaughs had taken in a foster child a few years before. To find out that they had a daughter in common had taken both by surprise but they were delighted. Both felt quite possessive about Ana and things could have gone badly but Ana made clear her devotion to each.

The Kavanaughs were considerably older than Grace and Carrick, more like grandparents really and it was clear that Ana was devoted to them. The Greys knew well enough to not get in the way of that.

Ana delighted in telling stories about her days with the Kavanaughs, to whom she referred as Aunt and Uncle. Without her Uncle Eamon, she told the Greys, she would never have gotten into Harvard. After so many years of moving around, she was quite a bit behind in math skills.

For the 3 years that she lived with them, she said, Uncle Eamon would sit with her and Kate after dinner and they would work on math together. She would put her head down on the table and cry as Algebra wore her down. Aunt Dana would set a cold drink and a sweet treat on the table and Uncle Eamon would rub her back until she recovered and they'd go at it again. Year after year, algebra through geometry through calculus. Even during summer vacations, they would work at statistics and spreadsheets. And thanks to Uncle Eamon, Ana scored A after A. And thanks to Ana, Kate learned to write well. Most people, Ana told the Greys, would find night after night and weekend after weekend of math and writing to be torture but her aunt and uncle had a way of making her itch to get at it.

"You know, I never stopped to think about all the time they were giving up and how tired they must have gotten having to always encourage me and Kate. I really took them for granted but I graduated with a 4.0 and with their help, successfully applied for scholarships. I'm pretty sure that had I not gotten a scholarship, Uncle Eamon and Aunt Dana would have enrolled me on their dime. Did you know that Eamon is Irish for Guardian? It certainly fits. They were my parents for 3 years and will always be.

From the day that Kate found me on that beach, I've acquired 2 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 sets of parents, grandparents, a great education and the best possible husband. I've so much for which to be thankful.

I don't care if Grace and Dana want me to wed in Westminster Cathedral."

 **LUNCH**

Feeling guilty about Elena, Grace had thought it a good idea to invite her over to the house for lunch. Knowing how everyone else felt about Elena, Grace had decided on a day when everyone but Carrick would be gone and Carrick, she knew, would not come out of his office.

But in the words of Robert Browning, "the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agely".

10 minutes before Elena's arrival, Christian carried Ana in the door. While he was looking in a store window, two men had grabbed Ana and tried to drag her into a car. They had placed a rag over her mouth that smelled of a chemical and if he had not seen it all happening in the window's reflection, Ana might well have been abducted. The abductors were quickly gone and the police took witness statements. Ana said that she was fine and just wanted to go home. He took her to their room and put her to bed. She'd immediately gone to sleep and he'd come out to talk to Carrick about arranging for traffic photos of the incident.

"It was planned, Dad. Ana was standing maybe six feet behind me. I saw the car, black with tinted windows, swoop into the bus stop behind Ana and then two men, one from the back seat and one from the front, jump out. One each grabbed her arms while one clamped a rag over her mouth. She collapsed and I knocked out one while the other dropped Ana and dragged his friend into the car and they gunned it out of there. There is no doubt, Dad. They were after Ana."

"Oh, dear," sighed Grace, looking out the window.

"This is bad timing. I wasn't expecting anyone to be here."

Through the window, everyone watched as Elena stepped from her black Bentley, looking furious as she shoved her phone into her purse. She strode up to the house in her six-inch stilettos in a black leather suit and blond hair piled a foot or so above her head.

"Hello, everyone," Elena called gaily from the foyer. "Where are you?"

Christian looked at his father and his father looked at Grace who shrugged in dismay.

"Oh, Christian's home and Carrick. So good to see you both. I thought it would be just me and Grace. This is delightful," said Elena, clapping her hands together. "Oh, you all look so wonderful. It's been so long."

"Hello, Elena dear, "said Grace. "It's good to see you, too. Unfortunately, this may not be the best time after all. We've had some family drama and we're all quite upset."

"Oh? Well, certainly nothing of a tragic nature, I hope. Elliot works such a dangerous job. Is he alright?" Elena waved her black gloves in front of her as if she needed air to keep from swooning in distress.

"It isn't dear little Mia, I hope."

"No, no, Elena. Actually, someone tried to kidnap our daughter-in-law while she and Christian were out shopping." Elena looked at Christian in horror. Interestingly, the first words out of her mouth were not 'kidnap' but 'daughter-in-law'. "That's horrible. Would this be Elliot's wife? I didn't know that he'd gotten married."

"No," Christian looked at her impassively, "Elliot didn't get married. I did." He watched closely for the effect on his former tormentor. It wasn't long in coming.

Elena went white and stumbled back against a barstool, holding onto the counter. Grace looked worried for her. "Elena, dear, are you all right?"

Elena caught herself as quickly as possible, excusing her reaction with the news that there had been an attempted kidnapping. "Are you all right, Christian?" she looked with such concern.

"Yes, Elena, perhaps you missed the part where Mom said that it was my wife who was the victim," he seethed at her, alarms going off in his head.

"Of course, how is she? Was she harmed?" questioned Elena with great interest.

"She inhaled a bit of ether but she is all right now. Just sleeping," said Grace. "We're just baffled as to why someone would want to kidnap Ana. She isn't known to be wealthy and she's only just arrived in town."

"So, you've no idea what this incident was all about then?" enquired Elena. She reached over and affectionately patted Christian's face. He slightly withdrew. Then Elena moved to the stool directly beside his and put her hand on his lapel, patting him lightly. Out of nowhere a hand flew out and knocked Elena's arm to the side. Christian smiled.

A small woman inserted herself between Elena and Christian, her back against Christian's chest. He put his arms around Ana's waist while Ana enfolded hers over his.

"You should be in bed, Ana. The EMTs said that it might take a couple of hours for the chemicals to leave your system," Christian cautioned, nuzzling her hair.

"I heard voices. Hated to miss company," replied Ana softly. Beside Christian, Carrick held his hand over his mouth to hide his chuckle. Grace had seen the swat at Elena's arm and was surprised at Ana's jealousy.

"Ana, dear, this is my good friend, Elena. Elena, this is my brand new daughter-in-law, Ana.

She and Christian were married at City Hall at Harvard. It was quite the surprise but we are just delighted to have her in the family." Grace was still flummoxed at the clear animosity between Elena and Ana.

"Well, this is amazing. Whatever possessed you to marry in such haste and without your family present, Christian?"

"Love, Elena," Christian coolly replied. "Haste was not fast enough."

"Well, you mustn't have informed your family beforehand even or I'm sure that my dear friend, Grace, would have called me with the good news. Why wouldn't you have at least given them fair warning?" It was clear to Christian that Elena was the one who felt that she should have been given 'fair warning'.

"You are no more Grace's good friend than a nest of wasp who've been disturbed at midday," snarled Ana.

"Ana!" scolded Grace. "I'm sorry, Elena, I think the chemicals must have affected her more than we thought."

"Or they weren't nearly as strong as you intended them to be, eh, Elena?" sneered Ana.

The Dom in Elena suddenly appeared strong and furious as she reached out a clawed hand to slap Ana. She wasn't fast enough for Ana, however, as Ana punched her directly on her nose, knocking Elena off the stool and flat on her fanny. "Get up you hag! I'm not done with you yet!" yelled Ana. As both Grace and Carrick stood looking shocked and too dazed to move, Christian stood to try to put Ana behind him. Ana was too fast for him as she snuck out from under his arm and over to the other side of Elena as Christian was still whirling around trying to catch his wife. As Elena stood and threw out her arm, claws at the ready, Ana delivered a perfect uppercut to Elena's jaw, blood flying everywhere as tissue collided with teeth.

Ana, being a lightweight, wasn't able to completely knock Elena unconscious and being still woozy from the chemicals, was wobbly on her feet. Elena, taller and stronger, reached way back and was about to slug Ana with all her might when Christian caught her fist in his hand and shoved her back to the floor. Ana fell over just as Christian caught her in his arms and picked her up.

"Put me down, Chrissan. Lemme at her," Ana slurred out her words, as her head lolled back.

"Mom, I'm afraid those chemicals did more damage than we realized. Could you have another look at her, please? And her hand and arm, too. I'm afraid that she might have done some damage."

"Of course, dear, take her into the bedroom while I get my bag," Grace said as she passed Elena leaning up again the counter with blood dripping from her nose and mouth. "Oh, hum…Carrick, would you see to Elena, please?"

"Certainly, dear. Elena, this way," he said, turning her toward the door and leading her down the steps to her car. "Perhaps put some ice on that nose," he suggested as he shut the door in her face and told her driver to take her home.

Then he turned as Elena screeched out her car window, "I'll sue, I'll sue!"

"Yes, of course, have a good day. Bye now," Carrick called, waving as he disappeared into the house.

 **AFTERMATH**

Elliot, Mia and Carrick were still holding their sides, exhausted from laughing while Grace glared at them.

"Elena is twice her size. What could she have been thinking? If Christian hadn't stopped the blow she intended, she could really have harmed Ana."

"And why would Ana have hit Elena anyway? What did she mean by that wasp remark?"

It had been several hours since Elenagate and Grace was still perplexed and upset and yet all her family did was laugh even harder at every new remark she made. When she asked them to stop, they just couldn't.

"Oh, god, I knew we should have installed security cameras in this house years ago. I missed it all. I always thought that Mia would have been the one to knock her out," Elliot laughed as tears flowed from his eyes. "Tell it again, Dad, esp. the part where Ana says, "Get up you hag."

"Stop it now. All of you. Carrick, a fine example you're setting for your children."

"What? I'd told her to have a good day and this was after she said she'd sue. I think I was pretty nice," and he was off again.

"I can see the judge looking out at Elena towering over tiny Ana and asking again, "Now who hit who?" said Elliot as Mia howled.

"I don't think I'm going to feed any of you tonight," scowled Grace

"Well, now, dear, you couldn't have failed to notice that that Cow Elena was ready to tear our little Ana's head off, could you? If Christian hadn't caught her fist in time, Ana would be missing an eye."

"I don't know what to think about any of it…Ana's behavior _or_ Elena's."

"It's simple. Elena was being a handsy bitch and Ana defended her man. Also, that remark of Ana's about Elena being disappointed that the chemicals weren't strong enough tells me that Ana knows something more than we do about Elena," grumbled Carrick.

"Yeah," hinted Elliot, "like maybe she suspects Elena hired those thugs."

"What! That's ridiculous, Elliot! It's true that Christian has always had a special place in Elena's heart but to suggest that…."

"Elena doesn't have a heart, Mom."

"She tried to help him with his anger issues when he was a teenager. She gave him all those chores to keep him busy, to help him work out his aggression," insisted Grace.

"I'd go with him when I was in town, Mom, and protect him. Otherwise, she'd have her hands all over him," growled Elliot.

"Mom, you with your good heart are the only person who can tolerate Elena. You should hear the other ladies at the salon. They call her a phony and the devil's step-sister. She insisted on washing Janine Covington's hair, just bumped the shampoo girl out of the way, said that Janine was special. Then she dug her talons into Janine's head so hard, it bled. And, oh, Elena was so sorry that she got carried away with the massage. Yeah, right.

You ask any of the other women and they'll tell that Elena is a predator," insisted Mia.

"If that were true, Mia, why would anyone get their hair done at Esclava?" countered Grace.

"Because," replied Mia, "the staff is excellent, Elena usually stays in her office, and because, Mom, the Greys get their hair done there. If we went elsewhere, so would everyone. I'm

sorry, Mom, but that woman has been playing you for years and none of us ever wanted to hurt you."

"Mom," a soft voice came from behind her and soft little arms wrapped around her neck, "I'm sorry. I'm afraid the chemicals made me a little drunk, kind of diminished my inhibitions. Still," said Ana as she came around the back of the couch and sat next to Grace, "I meant everything I said and Mia is correct...Elena Lincoln is a user, a fake and, most frightening, a predator."

Ana looked up at Grace sadly. To learn that someone you've long thought of as a dear friend is considered by everyone else to be the devil incarnate is disturbing and heartbreaking. Grace had to consider that no one in her family had ever liked Elena, had even loathed her, and that other friends whom she respected felt equal antipathy toward the woman. Grace had a lot to think about. She reached over and patted Ana's hand, now resting on Grace's arm.

"It's all right, dear. I'm not at all angry with you. Like Mia would say, "how can one be mad at a woodland fairy…even one with a terrific right hook," she smiled sadly. "However, right now I'm feeling a little sick and confused and I think that I need to go lie down for a while. Mia, dear, you are in charge of ordering dinner. Perhaps Italian this time, hmm?"

As Grace walked up the stairs to her room, Ana poked Carrick and nodded her head toward the stairs. Carrick took the hint and followed his broken-hearted wife up to their bedroom.

Christian moved from his spot on the couch to Ana's, picked her up and settled her on his lap, wrapping his arms around her. She was quiet but tears were gently falling from her eyes.

"I'm a witch. No, not a witch because wiccans are okay. I'm a bitch. I walk in out of the blue, married to their son and do nothing but cause trouble with heart episodes, slugging my new mother's best friend and destroying their friendship. She's going to come out of that bedroom later and suggest that I find other accommodations and I don't blame her at all. In fact, maybe I should just pack and get out now. I'll go over to Uncle Eamon's and Aunt Dana's to stay," sighed Ana. Then she immediately fell asleep again as Christian and Elliot smiled at her.

After a while of sitting quietly with both Christian and Elliot just watching Ana sleep, Christian himself fell asleep. Elliot quietly rose from his seat and whispered to Mia that he had forgotten to do something at the office but he'd return soon. Oh, and no pepperoni. On anything.

Then Elliot got into his truck and drove down the road, not far, because Elena lived just a few houses down. Elliot had planned on visiting Mrs. Lincoln later on in the evening anyway. He had no doubt that she was behind the kidnapping attempt.

Her car was out front and, he noted with satisfaction, there were droplets of blood on the stone steps leading to the front door. He rang the bell and waited. When there was no answer, he said loud enough to be heard through the heavy wood door, "You can open the door or I can kick it down." With Elliot being 6'5'' and 250 lbs. of muscle, Elena wisely decided to save her door.

The door flew open to reveal Elena, her face banged up, no makeup, showing her age despite many surgeries and a flimsy robe barely hiding her body.

Elliot chuckled. "You can close the robe, Elena. You got nothing to interest me."

He looked around at the destruction she'd wreaked on her own home to work out her anger.

"I like what you've done with the place. I'm guessing you don't have a sub at the moment? Or maybe you've already beaten the poor guy into unconsciousness."

Elliot headed for the basement door. Elena tried to block him and he laughed as he easily pushed her aside. He went down the stairs and, in the basement, slipped behind the movie screen and pulled a secret lever. It opened to reveal a large dungeon, filled to overflowing with weapons of fun for your above average sadist. Elliot shivered, remembering finding his brother down here, unhooking him from the ceiling, removing the ball gag and setting him gently down on the bed. Then he'd grabbed an indignant Elena by the neck and hauled her off her feet, shoving her up against the wall. It took every single bit of restraint that he had to keep from strangling her. Instead, he grabbed a set of metal handcuffs and hung her from the ceiling carabiner, just high enough that she had to stand on her toes.

"I'd love to ball gag you, too, Elena, but then your husband couldn't hear your cries for help when he comes home. I'd love to be here to listen to you explain all this," laughed Elliot bitterly.

Then he'd picked up his limp and nearly unconscious brother and left, with Elena screaming at him as he climbed the stairs. He'd taken his 18 year old brother to his condo and tended to his injuries as best he could. He called his parents and said that he and Christian were having a bro's night in and then going to spend a couple of days hiking. Christian would be leaving soon for Harvard and they wanted to get in some time together before they both got too busy with school.

Elliot had another year left to get his masters in architecture but he'd worked in construction every summer for years and had earned enough to buy his own place. He told his parents that he wanted to be independent. He wasn't so independent that he didn't come home for dinner every night, however. It was just that it was too difficult sneaking girls into his bedroom at his parent's house.

Eric Lincoln came home late that night to his front door open and the screams of his wife coming from the basement. To say that he was beyond horrified would be downplaying his reaction to the sight that greeted him when he walked behind the movie screen and found his half-naked wife with a bruised face and broken tooth hanging from the ceiling. He was so stunned that for a moment all he did was look around the room. Then with Elena demanding that he get her down, he had to hunt around for the keys to the handcuffs. By the time he released her, her wrists were bleeding and her entire body ached.

She refused to get medical care and refused to explain the room. Dumbfounded, he got out his computer and googled whips and handcuffs and ball gags until the words bondage and sadism began popping up. An hour or so of research and even a dolt like Lincoln realized what his wife had hidden from him in the basement.

He listened as she explained that a sub had become angry with her and thus left her hanging.

She tried to convince him that it was just fun sexual play but all he could hear was "sex". She was cheating on him and had been for a long time. With the threat of exposure hanging over him, Eric gave the house to Elena and a large sum of money to remain mum about the reasons for their divorce. His lawyer knew only that Elena had cheated on him and he didn't want to fight over property…he just wanted out.

Now, as Elliot surveyed the dungeon for the second time in his life, he found no victims. He turned to Elena and told her that he would be dropping by at odd hours on occasion to check on her 'activities' and that her subs had better be of age. Also, his brother, his sister-in-law and the rest of his family were off-limits. If any harm of any kind came to anyone of them, he'd come straight to her door. She could plead innocence all she wanted but it would do her no good. He put his huge hand around her scrawny neck, squeezed and asked if she understood. She nodded as best she could and he released her.

Elliot knew all too well that, unfortunately, Elena was not a sensible woman. She was too crazy for anything to deter her. He would wait for her to leave one day and have his crew put enough surveillance in and around her home to keep an eye on her. Also, a tracking device on her car and her phone. Whatever she did, whoever she saw, whatever she planned…Elliot would know about. If it came to that, he would even find a way for Elena to disappear.

His family, adoring him for his joviality, his sweetness, his fun-loving nature, would be surprised to find that he was also Big Brother and he'd taken that job very seriously since the day his first sibling arrived.

He got back just in time for dinner to arrive and then cussed his sister for putting pepperoni on half the pizza.

"Well, don't eat that half, you big dope," Mia sneered at him. "Geez, it's hard to believe that someone with your lack of brain power got a masters and a 4.0. Dumb as a box of rocks."

Christian was awake, still holding his sleeping wife. He looked at Elliot. "Get everything taken care of at the office, El?"

"Yep, bro. Don't worry. Everything's taken care of," Elliot smiled.

"Thanks, El," Christian mouthed.

 **BACK TO BUSINESS**

"Ana, Ana, baby, wake up!"

Christian waking his wife is unusual. It's usually, "Get some rest, baby."

Ana grumbles something along the lines of "go shoot yourself" but Christian persists.

"Come on, Ana. I waited as long as I could. Please wake up!"

Ana pops an eye open…"Did you win the lottery? Did I?"

"No, baby, but close. We're in business. We are a business. Grey Enterprise Holdings.

That acquisition that Ros suggested? It's ours. I just signed the papers and now it's your turn."

"iiiiiiiiiieieeeeeeeee!"

"Geez, my ears, baby. But very articulate of you," he couldn't stop grinning at her. They wouldn't have gone for it if Ana hadn't insisted that they use her book royalties.

Christian stuck a clipboard in front of her with half a dozen pages to sign. "Next to the 'x's, baby."

"Hmm…maybe I should practice my special business signature first. Maybe a capital A and a slash and then a capital G and a slash. Give me something to practice on."

"Baby, your whole name is only 7 letters."

"What if I want to get fancy and formal…like Anastasia Rose Grey," she giggled.

"Sign anything you want so I can get it in the mail and then come back in here and fuck you senseless," Christian grinned, nuzzling in the crook of her neck.

"Think pretty highly of yourself, don't ya, Mr. Mogul?" teased Ana.

"Had the brains to marry you before you had the chance to duck, didn't I?" smirked Christian.

Ana dashed off _Ana Grey_ a few times and stuffed the papers back into the envelope.

"Now get out of those pjs and I'll be right back," ordered Christian.

Ten minutes later he dashed back in, locking the door behind him. Mia could be a real problem these days. She seemed to think that Christian and Ana were both her siblings, sharing bunk beds. Christian couldn't get his clothes off fast enough and he was falling all over himself in his mad dash to get naked.

"Was that fuck me senseless or senseless fucking?" Ana laughed. Christian threw himself on the bed, rolled over and pulled Ana on top of him. He beamed up at her. "I just want to look at a fellow mogul. You're the English major. Is it mogul or moguless? Are these mogul breasts or moguless breasts?"

"I think moguless breasts would be breasts without a mogul attached," laughed Ana.

"Oh, that would be awful. I need the whole mogul package," growled Christian as he pulled her down to him or, more precisely, her breasts to his mouth.

He captured one nipple in his mouth, his hand on her back and his other hand on her ass. He'd fucked half the women on campus, it sometimes seemed, and she was the only one with breasts so sensitive that sucking and nibbling could make her groan and squirm. By the time he made it over to the other one, she was practically coming.

He reached down to massage her g-spot. He remembered a drunken conversation in a campus bar with a bunch of guys arguing about the mysterious g-spot. The ones who thought they'd found it argued its existence while the ones who'd had no success argued its mythness. His experience had taught him that some women had one and some seemed not to. Still, more often than not, he could find it. Which, he imagined, is why women were always crawling all over him. Ana certainly seemed to although she was so sensitive in so many ways that he kidded her that she was just one walking g-spot. She claimed that it was just that he was such a sex god. Either way, they were certainly compatible. No matter what one did to the other they were completely satisfied with each other.

That seemed to be sexually and just in general life. He couldn't recall the smallest moment when he'd doubted her or she him. They just seemed perfect for each other even when he clamped his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams and she bit him. Gripes, he practically came when she bit him. There was never a doubt, though, that his favorite place to be in in all the world was Ana….inside her and looking into her loved-filled blue eyes. No matter the situation, deep inside her, his arms wrapped around her, his eyes looking into hers…all was well, nothing was remotely wrong. The connection, the being part of her, was everything he needed. Most nights they thus connected, even when they were spooning, they needed to be together. They'd lie there many nights, attached and talking about every conceivable thing. School, problems, tv shows, politics…it didn't matter. He'd come and then he'd just stay put, talking and laughing.

Even when they weren't naked, in bed, he had to be touching her. This from a guy who grown up not being able to be touched. His haphephobia had stood between his love and his expression of it for his family his whole life. It had contributed to his vulnerability to the evil of Elena Lincoln. It had cost his parents hundreds of thousands in psychiatric bills. It made it impossible for him to fuck all those girls without tying their hands. They thought it was fun kink. And yet with Ana it hadn't existed since the first night together. He didn't know why. It wasn't like he thought those other girls were going to claw his burn scars or that he automatically believed that Ana wouldn't. Heck, he wouldn't care if she did. It wasn't because he loved her so quickly although, looking back, he knew he did the first time he looked down as she pulled down his boxers and his dick swatted her in the face. She was so serious and matter-of-fact about it. Every time he thought about it, he laughed.

No, maybe he'd never know why he needed to always be in touch with Ana. He did wonder how he was going to one day go off to an office in the morning without her. Would it be unprofessional of him to have his wife sitting on his lap all day?

Later, sitting at the breakfast bar, he and Ana plotted their next move. He and Carrick had been over and over the Rodgers Telecommunications materials. Ana had studied them as well and the dull spreadsheets. There was no doubt in their minds that this should be their next acquisition.

It wasn't a matter of money. It was a matter of convincing Mr. Rodgers. He had once owned a conglomerate and fellow businessmen came to him for advice. His wife had died 2 years earlier and his daughter and son had chosen other professions, much to his great disappointment. He was in his 70's now and still pretty healthy but not as sharp as he used to be he knew. He wondered if he wanted to die sitting behind his desk. He had put out feelers and many companies wanted to add his telecommunication division to their conglomerates but it never felt right for his last and favorite division to become just another department in some soulless, faceless business giant.

He'd been approached repeatedly by a new startup but he was unsure that he could trust a punk kid to grow his baby or merely lose it deliberately or through incompetence to one of other conglomerates that he was already avoiding. In fact, maybe this kid's company, Grey Enterprise Holdings was just a front to buy his company by one of the giant's going after it. They divide it up, sell off the pieces and it would cease to exist. The owner of GEH was just 23, fresh out of Harvard and his dad a sharp lawyer. It could be all wrong.

Then one day he received a phone call. A young woman with a small, musical voice asked him for his favorite kinds of pie. He was about to ask his secretary how the hell this call got through but instead he asked why she wanted to know. Well, she said sweetly, my husband and I want to buy Rodgers Telecommunications so I want to invite you to dinner. If you'd rather have cake, my sister-in-law makes a red velvet cake to die for. My mother-in-law is a genius at pot roast unless you have another favorite dish.

"Ah, I don't know you well enough to accept your invitation, young woman. Why would I accept?"

The little voice giggled and he felt himself smile. She introduced herself as Ana Grey and said that surely he'd like to have a good home-cooked meal. Did he prefer small red potatoes or baked? 'Course, having both would be an option, too, with baked onions and carrots?

"I don't like carrots," Rodgers replied, enjoying the conversation. That's okay, Ana replied, I'll eat yours. Now was that red velvet cake or pie or both. What flavor ice cream would you like?

"You think that If you feed me well, I'll just cave and sell my company to you, eh?"

Oh, no, she replied but they did want to buy it very badly and this would his opportunity to ask every challenging question he had and perhaps convince them that he'd never sell and then they could all move on. Just the opportunity to listen and learn from him would be worth it to them. After all 4.0 GPAs and a master in business were not worth all that much without input from the real world.

And, certainly, you are a strong minded fellow who would have no trouble in going home if he found everyone to be a bore. Of course, we'd pack a lunch to take with you. How would tomorrow at 6:00 do? And what kind of dessert was that again?

 **MR. RODGERS COMES TO DINNER**

"You did WHAT, Ana?" Carrick, Grace and Christian stared at her in astonishment.

"I simply decided to settle the matter. I figure that the poor fellow eats alone every night...maybe in a restaurant or alone in his dining room served by a housekeeper. I offered him a wonderful meal and good company.

Mia and I will make cake and pies. Grace and I can make pot roast and two kinds of potatoes with salad. Carrick and Christian can pick good wine and cigars which I hope he won't want.

We'll have a wonderful dinner together and then talk about how he got started in business. I've done quite a bit of reading about him and his story is quite like ours. Everyone in this family is wonderful at conversation. No one ever hogs the talk. We can ask and answer questions and even If nothing comes of it, Christian and I will have learned quite a bit about starting out in business. Perhaps Mr. Rodgers even knows of other possible acquisitions.

I think that we'll have a wonderful time of it, don't you?" Ana beamed at her family and her beams would convince anyone of anything.

"I wonder if he'd like a green vegetable, too. I'll make asparagus and broccoli as well. Well, now I'm excited, too," exclaimed Grace as she got up to make a list. "Ana, do you think he'd like fresh homemade bread." "Good grief, Mom, you've been holding out on me!" Ana said indignantly. With real butter."

Carrick and Christian sequestered themselves in the study for the rest of the day, prepping for their presentation. Periodically, they'd call Ana in to present it and ask her opinion. She'd tell them over and over that they know their material backwards and forwards and should relax.

Let Mr. Rodgers tell them about his company, not the other way around. She had a feeling that he wanted to impress them with his baby not have them overwhelm him with their knowledge of it.

Frankly, she had them scared to death.

 **FINE DINING AND GOOD CONVERSATION**

At 6:00 on the dot, Mr. Rodgers chauffeured Mercedes pulled in the driveway of the Grey Mansion. As the others stood in the doorway, Ana impulsively ran down to the car and opened the door for Mr. Rodgers. He used a cane to steady himself as he took her hand. "Nice wheels," Ana praised. "Well, it is one of the safest cars on the road." Ana giggled, "You sound just like my husband. If you're looking to be bored or left alone while you eat, ask Christian to tell you all about the safest cars on the road." She laughed and soon they were enveloped by the family.

Introductions were made. "This is my fellow mogul and dear husband, Christian Trevelyan-Grey. This is my gracious and adorable mother-in-law, Grace. She is a pediatrician at Seattle Grace. The Grey family practically built the place. This is my father-in-law, Carrick Grey, humble country lawyer" which drew a big laugh. And these are my new sister and brother, Mia and Elliot of Grey Design and Construction. And this is Gretchen, our helper.

I hope the look of the place didn't overwhelm you. I myself fainted dead away when I realized what I'd married into. But I've gotten used to it and it is good exercise trying to get around in it. Later on, I'll take you down to the water.

Gretchen took Mr. Rodger's coat while he insisted that everyone call him Del. "So, you're the young man who wants to buy me out," he looked shrewdly at Christian who was sweating bullets. "And, said Christian, this is Ana, my partner in all things."

Del seemed quite taken with Mia which surprised her. "Wow, forgive me my staring. I swear that I am not a dirty old man but you are simply stunning, my dear. I'll bet when you walk into a room with that hair and those eyes and that graceful stride, you just knock 'em dead. Do you get your looks from your mother's or father's side of the family?"

"Actually, my siblings and I are all adopted and, gosh, I love a man who recognizes stunning when he sees it. It doesn't happen all that often."

"Well, what sort of dolts do you hang out with? That height, black hair and emerald eyes should have most men hanging on your every word."

"Maybe that's my problem, Del. I do have a lot of words." Then everyone laughed.

"Well, said Elliot, let's get this table set and dig in. I'm starving."

"Well, you certainly are a big fellow. You kind of fill up a room all by yourself."

"Being in construction puts on muscle, sir. I'm curious, I've read up on your first company and your first hand involvement with that. Did you enjoy the building portion of your business?"

"Actually, not much, Elliot, I had a wife and two children at home and my wife was deathly afraid that I'd get hurt on the job so to set her mind at ease, I stayed in the office and plotted my empire," he winked. "Do you have wife, Elliot?"

"No,sir," replied Elliot, "no wife, no girlfriend and, I hope, no children. I just feel that right now I need to build the business and that takes all my concentration and spare time. I go out with my brother for the occasional beer when I can drag him away from his wife."

"Yes, I gather from our brief conversation that you do not consider yourself to be the helpful little wife with the CEO husband." Del looked pointedly at Ana.

"No, we are co-Ceos, Del. I find starting the business as interesting as does he and I am financially invested as well. That might evolve at some point but I will always be involved.

That is one of the reason I wanted to meet you over dinner and not in some boardroom. When I was taking classes for my business major, we often had mock boardroom meetings and I found them to be managed more easily and interestingly with friendly conversation. I hope that his dinner settles things for both parties with good will all round."

"Now, let's eat. Del, here between me and Christian with Mia and Elliot opposite us. We really wish Grampa Trevelyan could have made it. You two old lions would really enjoy each other. However, our grammie is developing dementia and he didn't want to leave her.

How did you lose your wife, Del?" The rest of the family stared at her audacity. Del noticed and laughed. "Oh, they do that a lot. They were raised with impeccable manners. Me, not so much. So, your wife die two years ago last month?" continued Ana.

"Yes," sighed Del, "she, too, was victim of dementia. They said it was Alzheimer's but it's hard to say. It just seemed that one day, everything changed. She was like you, Ana, involved as much possible with my business dealings. I leaned on her opinions a lot. She, in fact, told me to hang onto my telecommunications as long as possible until it was a burden more than a joy.

I'm sorry for your grandfather. Please have him call me if he ever wants to talk."

"That is a generous offer, Del. We're found that a lot of people avoid Grammie and Theo. Once a year we have gala to raise money for our foundation Coping Together and I think that this year we're going to split the proceeds between our foundation and Alzheimer's research," said Carrick.

"How's about I pack up a baked potato for later. And didn't you tell me that I could have your carrots?" Ana reminded him. He considered his original offer and rescinded it. "They're awful good, for carrots, that is."

The rest of the meal went quite well. Del loved everything, had seconds and raved about Grace's pot roast. He had cherry pie and apple, having red velvet cake packed up for later.

"That pie was unusual, Ana." "Ana uses only natural ingredients, nothing from a can. Real cherries, real apples and she refuses to reveal her secret for her crusts. She took vows and I can't get it out of her," Christian laughed. "Mia has a fit because she considers desserts _her_ forte."

And so the meal went. Mia was very interested in his daughter's bakery business in California. Ana was quite interested in how he got started in his business, as was Christian who had a million questions about dealing with competitors.

All in all, it was a marvelous success. As the meal wound down, Ana groaned and said that she needed to take a walk. As Christian rose, Ana put up a hand and said that she already had a companion in mind. Then she offered her tiny hand to Del and he smiled as he took it.

Together the odd couple, a tall stooped old man and a small sprite of a woman walked slowly toward the water. There were several comfortable chairs on the dock and they settled in, talking about everything. They were out there for a couple of hours when Christian appeared with a couple of heavy throws. He explained that he did not wish to interrupt but that his wife was more fragile then she appeared and the night was cool. As soon as he wrapped her up, he offered the other to Del who readily took it.

As Christian turned to go back to the house, Del ask him to take a seat. "Did I mention that I have two grandkids in California? Not only that, they ask me frequently to visit them. I guess they like me. Ana here tells me that she has a realtor friend who specializes in retirement homes and villages. I kinda of like the idea of no car and riding around to everything in a golf cart. And there a lot of activities I think I'd enjoy. I was telling Ana how much I enjoyed art classes of all kinds in college but, you know, in the end I had to build a business."

"I also like that you are a genuine startup and that my telecommunications division would be a foundation for your business. I like the idea that it would be important and not just a cog. I don't think of all the offers I've had that I could find a better home for my company than yours. I've had better offers monetarily but I have more than enough money. I like the idea of my company being the foundation of yours. I'll be watching for you in Forbes one day, Christian and Ana."

"Now, I've had a wonderful night, a great meal and great conversation."

"We'd like it very much if you'd accept a future invitation, Del. There is still so much real life business we need to learn from you and my mother loves to feed appreciative people. I'm afraid that we tend to take her cooking for granted."

"I'd be delighted to receive another invitation, Christian, esp. if it includes an after dinner chat with Ana."

"Now, let's go sign some papers and get this transfer rolling. I want to get together with that realtor Ana suggested about those retirement villages."

The family stood on the steps again as Ana helped Del into his car and kissed him goodbye on his cheek. He was glowing. He felt a great burden lifted from him and excitement about his new life.

"I can't believe it. You did it, Ana, you got him to sign over his company."

"Well, I had a lot of help. He really likes all of you. I think he felt less lonely for tonight and he realized that he needed to change the way he lives."

"My wife, a toast to a business genius," Christian raised his glass along with the rest of the family."

"And certainly a toast to Grace's pot roast, Mia's red velvet cake and all the wonderful conversation you all offered tonight. You made that dear old man feel welcome and important," smiled Ana.

 **POST DINNER**

Christian laid back in the recliner with Ana lying on top of him as he played with her hair.

"Geez, 3 months ago I was miserable and plotting ways to kill Professor Thompson's TA and now she's my wife, my business partner and the reason for all my happiness."

"Aw, you say the sweetest things to me. So, what sorts of ways to kill me did you come up with?" grinned Ana.

"Oh, I wasn't very creative really…just the usual, you know. Bullets, knives, rope, hit and runs, that sort of thing."

"Well, that's disappointing. I would have expected better of someone with your GPA. Still, I suppose it's best that you didn't kill me. That would really have messed up your GPA. I don't think they even give them to killers who don't finish out the semester."

"Yeah, well, I thought of that so it seemed best that I just fall in love with and marry you."

Christian leaned down and kissed his wife passionately and kept doing so even when Elliot plopped down in the chair across from them.

"Hello over there," hollered Elliot. "Other person here, watching the battle of the tongues."

"Go away, Elliot," mumbled Christian. "Don't you have a home to go to?"

"Yes, but it's lonely and I know that Ana wouldn't want me to be lonely," he snickered.

"You rat," grimaced Christian, "you know the way to get to me is through Ana. You cheat,".

"Come on. Play with me," begged Elliot.

"No, you don't have soft pretty breasts with little pink nipples to play with," muttered Christian.

"We could play pool?" suggested Elliot.

"Go on, honey, play nice with your brother. I have to write for a while anyway. I owe books to my publisher."

"Yes!" exclaimed Elliot in triumph.

"Okay," sighed Christian in defeat.

Ana settled herself in the bed with her notes and her laptop and began work on drugstore paperback #6. She no longer titled the books herself because the titles were always changed to something the publisher preferred. She wondered who was given _that_ job.

Suddenly her Ipad announced a call from Kate.

"Yay. Hi, you just saved me from having to start writing another Loves Grand Passion.

"Don't you wonder who comes up with those titles?" laughed Kate

"Yes, yes, I do. Have you finished with your summer class?"

"Yep. I am done, done. Thank goodness. Whoever thought of summer school was one black-hearted bastard. It just ain't natural."

"So, are you on your way home?"

"Well, look behind you at the homey concrete walls of a Harvard dorm. I'm leaving tomorrow morning at some ungodly hour. I'll call once I get settled in and we can meet up if you can drag yourself away from that gorgeous hunk of husband."

"Oh, he'll be busy with his 2, count'em, 2 new acquisitions. GEH is a real company, Kate. And then there's his brother, Elliot, who misses being able to play with his little brother 'cause his little brother always wants to play with me," giggled Ana.

"So what's the brother like?" asked Kate.

"Oh, don't even go there, sweetie. He prefers quote unquote "skanky bottle blondes" and a lot of different ones at that. He considers girlfriends, wives and children anchors around his horny little neck. I really like the guy but I certainly wouldn't set him up with my sister and best friend."

"Oh," sighed Kate, "well, I'd have to head back to school in six weeks anyway so true love would only get in the way. I guess you'll have to do for company. Mom and Dad said that you've been by a few times."

"Of course, they sure miss their kids. Ethan is coming back around Christmas. He's finishing up early."

"Yeah," said Kate, "he's trying to decide on residencies. He's been accepted to New York, Chicago and hometown Seattle. I told him to go for New York. Then we'll have someone we know to put us up and show us around. Forget Chicago and those winters. Naturally, Mom and Dad are putting on the big pressure to go for Seattle General. Between the three of us being gone for years, the guilt is pretty heavy. Thank god, you're there to take the pressure off."

"Well, thanks, but tho' I know that they love me, I can't take the place of you or Ethan. And you know that they want you to come work for the Seattle Times. Something tells me that your folks are going to get all three of their kids settled back home by this time next year," Ana grinned.

"I'd better finish packing and get to bed. Getting' late. Three hour time difference, ya know.

I'll call when I get in. Love you, Sis." Kate then smeared her screen with red lipstick.

A short while later Christian dragged himself in and threw himself face down on the bed.

"In need of sympathy or derision?" asked Ana.

"Both."

"Ok. Oh, my pathetic little lightweight."

"I missed the sympathy part," chuckled Christian.

"Geez, my brother spends too much time drinking in dives, playing pool with skanky bottle blondes."

"If you want to go with him to improve your game, I won't stand in your way," promised Ana.

"But you'll kill me when I get home smelling of skanky blondes?"

"Yes, dear."

 **KATE COMES HOME**

"Kate! Ana! IIIIIEEEEEIIII!"

Christian and Mia watched as the girls screamed and jumped up and down, hugging each other.

This hysteria had been going on for several minutes until both were worn out and fell on the couch. Then there was more sitting down hugging and chattering away at top speed at the same time before they both took a breath.

"Mia, Kate, Kate, Mia," introduced Ana.

"Wow, you weren't kidding, Ana. She is stunning."

When Mia realized that Kate meant her, she shyly smiled and returned the compliment.

It wasn't quite true, though. Kate, with her button nose, wheat-hued curly hair and slim shape was exceptionally cute but tall, shapely Mia with black hair and emerald eyes was a knockout.

And thanks to Ana and now Kate, she was just beginning to believe it.

Still, Christian looked at the petite, blue-eyed brunette beaming between the two tall and beautiful women and figured that they looked okay but the real beauty was the little thing in the middle who made him hard when she walked into a room. Like now. It seemed he was always adjusting his pants. He wondered if he should start wearing tighty whiteys.

He sat on the couch, leaning his elbow on the arm and his face in his hand, watching and listening to the three girls talk…or whatever it was they were doing. Their hands were flying and their voices overlapping at frequencies only dogs could hear and he wondered that their faces didn't ache from the constant smiling.

When Grace got home from the hospital, the scene escalated. Then Elliot arrived, followed shortly by Carrick and all three sat on the couch and watched with fascination. They were trying to follow the conversation but it was impossible. Somehow, while never taking a breath, all four women made dinner, set the table and took their seats. The guys would have talked among themselves but it would have been too boring. Watching the women was like trying to keep track of a 20 man team of drunken basketball players bouncing all over the court while singing half a dozen different drinking songs.

Of course, to the women it all made sense, was at a reasonable volume and they barely noticed that the men were at the table. Finally, dinner was over, the women cleaned up, of course, and the men went into the study to drink bourbon.

"Geez, that was like the Rocky Horror Picture Show," winced Elliot.

"Does anybody else have a headache," groaned Christian.

"I did after court today but I think it escalated into a brain tumor during dinner," grimaced Carrick.

"You know, the women made dinner. I suppose we should have offered to clean up," suggested Christian.

"Never mind," chuckled Elliot, "I don't think they knew that we were in the room."

"You know," snarled Ana, "After we did all the prep and fixed dinner, you could have offered to do the dishes at least." She stood in the doorway glaring at the men who just looked stupid. She shook her head, growled and went back into the kitchen.

"You know, that Kate is kinda cute, in a way," noted Elliot.

"Nooooo!," yelled Christian.

Kate was tired after her long day so she called it a night around 9 pm.

Elliot and Christian played pool until 10. Elliot had to be on site around 5 am.

Mia was on the phone with a friend and Carrick and Grace dragged each other up the stairs.

Christian found his wife still working on her laptop when he wandered into their room around 10:30 pm.

"You okay?" asked Ana. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just walking around outside, contemplating."

"Not just thinking? Contemplating? Sounds heavy," Ana smiled gently at her husband.

"Hey, wife, I'm a pretty deep thinker, you know?"

"No, I didn't know. Enlighten me, husband," she encouraged him.

He stood, sleeves rolled up and hands in pockets, looking at her.

"I get scared sometimes." Ana looked at him in surprise and concern.

"I have a great life. I have you. That makes me vulnerable. I could lose GEH. I could lose everyone else, have nowhere to live, find myself standing in the middle of the Sahara at midday but if you were there beside me, I'd be okay. _You_ stand between me and utter misery. And anything can happen, Ana. You see it all the time. People lose people. What would I do? How would I manage the simplest thing without you?"

"You mean, like doing the dishes?" she smiled at him.

"Come here. Make love to me," she said, moving to the edge of the bed and holding out her arms. "Let's get these cumbersome clothes off you. She unbuttoned his shirt while he stood in front of her and knelt as she slipped it off his shoulders. He laid his head in her lap as she laid over him and rubbed circles on his back. He lifted his head and his t-shirt over hers, latching onto one of her pretty pink nipples, suckling and biting as he caressed her other breast while she held him close.

When she began to moan, he pushed her back onto the bed and pulled her panties down to the floor, opened her legs and pushed his nose in between her legs. "Oh, god, Ana, you smell like heaven to me, you taste like honey….I'll never have enough of you."

Ana's moans grew louder and she writhed beneath his tongue until she arched her back and cried out his name. He quickly pushed his jeans and boxers to the floor and himself inside of Ana. He pushed over and over, trying to get deeper and deeper. It seemed like he could never become enough a part of her before he exploded. He moved her further up the bed with her legs wrapped around his back.

She took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. Then she suggested that maybe he'd like to take off his shoes and socks and get completely naked. "I'd have to pull out of you," he objected. "That's okay. I promise that you can get right back in again." "Deal," he said, as he sat up and removed the last of his clothes.

"Feel a little better, now," Ana asked.

Christian smiled, "That always seems to do the trick."

"Now about getting back in again…"

"I think I'll have to help you a bit," Ana said as she took him into her mouth and twirled her tongue around and then sucked and then twirled again down his shaft as she pulled him deeper into her mouth. "Oh, my god, woman…thank the lord for toothbrushes."

 **AND LIFE GOES ON….**

"No, Elliot," snarls Christian, "absofuckinglutley NOT!"

"Oh, come on," begged Elliot, "it's only six weeks. How much harm can I do in six weeks?"

"For cryin' out loud, Elliot, she's not even your type! Just because you haven't met a new skank in a couple months is no reason to fuck things up with my wife! You stay away from Kate!"

"Look," insisted Elliot, "how's about I ask for Ana's permission? If she says no, then I'll accept no."

"What's wrong with _my_ NO? It's louder!"

"Why are you two standing out here in the driveway screaming at each other?" Ana shouts from the doorway.

"Nothing, dear," smiles Christian, "just go back to whatever you were doing. We're just having a little brotherly disagreement."

Ana looked at them skeptically, said oookay and started to go back inside when Elliot yelled, "Can I ask Kate for a date, Ana?"

"I'll kill you for this, Elliot," growled Christian.

Ana began laughing and hollered back, "Absofuckinglutely not, you manwhore!"

Christian began laughing so hard that he fell back against the truck and slid down it onto the gravel drive. Elliot looked shocked. He charged up to the door and stomped inside, looking for Ana.

"Ana, sweetie, I promise I'll behave," he pleaded.

"Elliot, sweetie, you don't know the meaning of the word 'behave'."

"Well, you could tell me and then I'd do that," Elliot suggested in desperation.

"Now, just how long do you think that you could hold out 'behaving' before the real you cracked through? And just suppose that you actually fell for Kate for real? She's going back to Boston in six weeks. Do you imagine yourself being faithful until the holiday break? And how about after New Year's….another several months of being faithful? Geez, El, you'd probably explode. You're used to fucking someone at least once a weekend. Think, man."

"Geez, Ana, you make me sound like, like some out-of-control, sex-crazed lunatic."

"Now you're talking," Ana chided. "Tell me, when was the longest period of time that you have gone without…what's it called, Christian?...oh, yeah, 'dipping your wick'. Gripes, if you've somehow managed a weekend without, you can't stop talking about your 'blue balls' and how desperate you are to get relief."

"I cannot believe how little you think of me, Ana," Elliot said, sounding wounded.

"Oh, honey, I adore you. It's your dick I don't trust," Ana reassured him.

Grumbling about being insulted and not having to take this shit from a woodland fairy, Elliot climbed into his giant F-150 and threw a ton of gravel tearing out of the Grey Manor driveway.

"Geez, I hate that damn truck of his," groaned Carrick. "It makes such a mess every time he tears in and out of here."

"Well, I told you years ago to pave the driveway," noted Grace.

"That giant hog would only put a dent in asphalt, dear."

 **AND THEN…..**

"Kate, why can't I talk sense into you?" asked Ana.

"And Ana, since when have you decided that I am a helpless virgin who can't handle a horny man?" demanded Kate. "Did you not pay attention to my social life at Harvard for three whole years? At what point did you fear for my virtue during that time?"

"Your virtue is not in question. It's your heart that I'm worried about. Elliot is very charming, very handsome and, undoubtedly, very skilled. I mean, if I weren't married to Christian…"

"WHAT!"

"Shush, honey, I'm trying to talk some sense into Kate. Look, I'm not your mother and you are correct that you are not a naïve virgin who can't handle men. Just promise that you'll remember with whom you are dealing. Enjoy but do not become attached. Ok, talk to you later."

"I'll show you charming and skilled, woman. Get over here," growled Christian.

"No," giggled Ana, "I think I'll just be getting some sleep now."

"Wife! I demand satisfaction!" declared Christian, while Ana laughed hysterically as he pawed at her.

"Oh, my, it's going to be another noisy night, I suppose," sighed Grace.

"What night isn't?" replied Carrick. "Just put in your earplugs until they move out."

 **5 WEEKS LATER….**

"She said that she has to spend her last night with her parents. I mean, I get that, I do. I just don't get why I can't be there, too," sighed Elliot.

"Maybe it's because you can't keep your hands to yourself. You're all over her, like lice," noted Christian. Parents don't want to watch you nibbling on their daughter's ear while your hand is up her shirt. Why don't you skype her tonight?"

"Can't. 'We' decided that it's best for us to break up, leave ourselves open to other people and then see how we feel when she comes home for the holiday break? She told me that I should 'carry on as usual' while she's gone and she'll do the same. Jesus H. Christ, I've already fucked everything in Seattle and she has the entire Harvard campus and all of Cambridge following her around, drooling."

Ana and Christian looked at each other. "Well, good luck to you, El. Have to go. Ana needs a nap."

As the two headed for their bedroom, Elliot called out, "Thanks a lot for the sympathy and understanding. Glad I could get your motors running. I'll be out here. Alone and sad."

 **DROPPING BY THE KAVANAUGHS**

Elliot roars up to the open gate of the Kavanaugh mansion and, leaving the engine running, he rings the bell repeatedly. When the housekeeper opens the door, Elliot pushes through, calling for Kate.

"Elliot! What are you doing here?" Kate comes into the foyer from the living room with her mother and father in tow.

"Kate," Elliot says firmly, "now you listen to me. My dick stays in my pants and other dicks stay out of yours. Understand? You're my woman and I'm your man, no matter the time or distance." Then, with his arms tightly around her, Elliot kisses Kate soundly. When he finally draws back, panting, his forehead leaning down to rest against hers, he whispers, "I'm madly in love with you, Katherine Kavanaugh. I've never loved anyone else. Don't break my heart.

Deal?"

Kate reached up to hold his face, "Deal, Grey. See you in a few months, okay?"

Elliot kissed her again and then turned to go. "Mr. and Mrs. Kavanaugh, I'm going to marry your daughter just as soon as she lets me. Hope that's all right with you. Have a good night."

With one, last, longing look at Kate, Elliot walks out the door and back into his truck, smiling.

"Well," remarked Dana to Eamon after Elliot left Kate speechless and staring at the closed door, "those Grey boys are certainly impetuous."

As Elliot drove down the road to the townhouse that was once his retreat but now a lonely place without Kate, his phone buzzed and Ana's face appeared.

"What's up, Sis. Bored with my bro, already?" she was holding a sheet up to her naked shoulders and behind her he could see his brother kissing her back.

"Something just occurred to me, El. You should use the next few lonely months to learn how to cook a few simple things. I don't know if you're aware but Kate's idea of making dinner is to open a can of Pringles and a diet cola. Other people have boxes of recipes. Kate has a box of take-out places. I wouldn't count on her changing either," Ana warned as she swatted Christian's hand away from her breasts.

"Thanks for the heads-up. Maybe I'll do that," smiled El at Christian's attempts to have his way with his wife. "Laters."

 **AUTUMN**

Hand in hand, Christian and Ana walked up the trail to Look Out Point. The autumn air felt perfect…just warm and just cool enough. They were strolling through inch-deep piles of golden leaves, laughing about Elliot's cooking lessons. He was serious about them. Every night, just before Grace began to ready dinner, he'd show up to help. He already knew how to bake a potato and several green vegetables. He'd had less success with meat entrees. He just kept burning them. But the important thing was that he was not only trying but enjoying his lessons.

He figured as soon as he got the meat thing down, he'd learn to bake…pies, of course. Mia was helping him, too, and so every night in the Grey kitchen was a loud and funny affair. Since all Christian could make was scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes and mac and cheese, he wisely chose to keep his snarky remarks to himself….lest Ana get ideas.

Once they'd reached the look-out, Ana collapsed on the bench. Christian had noticed that she seemed to tire easily lately. She often spent 12 hour days writing. Her books sold well and she had to pay for her father's care as well as put aside money for GEH. She also didn't want to impose on Grace and Carrick for too long...although Grace constantly fretted to Carrick about the day the "kids" would move out. She was also disappointed that her wedding/vow renewal/reception idea had somehow petered out. Maybe she'd get it going for _next_ spring.

Christian tried to slow Ana down by pointing out that they now had several acquisitions bringing in money and had sold off some dead weight, putting more money into their account. Things were moving fast, faster than he'd anticipated. Ros kept sending more ideas and if business continued as it was, by the time that she and Gwen arrived in Seattle in the spring, they would have enough to open an office and pay Ros a salary.

Still, Ana had grown up poor and dependent and, thus, insecure about finances. Christian hoped that one day soon she'd feel safe enough to stop writing "crap" and perhaps work on something of substance. He told her that he kind of enjoyed her crap and that his mother and sister and almost everyone in their social circle loved the works of A. .

"Are you tired, baby?" asked Christian, putting his arm around Ana and her head on his shoulder.

"Just a little. That wasn't that much of a climb. I think I'm in lazy shape. I should start working out with Mia like I'd planned."

"Mia," complained Christian, "should stop expecting my wife to entertain her all the time and maybe get herself a job. I mean, she has quite the education and talent for cooking anything. She could probably get a job at the Mile High Club, just for starters. Why don't you use _your_ talent for talking people into things to get Mia to be a responsible adult? As for working out, we should talk to your doctor first about appropriate exercise for someone with your heart condition.

You know, last night when you were riding me, you looked like you were about to fall asleep." commented Christian.

"Is that why you suddenly flipped me on my back?" Ana laughed. "I'm sorry, baby. I wasn't bored, believe me."

"I believe you but I think that you're overdoing the workload that you've assigned yourself. You know, GEH actually has millions in net worth now. We're a real going concern. Dad says that several of his businessmen contacts have noticed and inquired about investing."

"But we don't want investors, right? No fingers in our pie?"

"That's right. We are going to be the sole owners, sweetheart. No one else to answer to. I spent years growing up, listening to Gramps talk about dealing with boards. Taking on investors would make us richer faster but the idea isn't to be so rich, it's to be financially independent.

I don't want to ever go public. I'd sooner sell everything off and start over than have to deal with a bunch of know-nothings. Besides, I'm young. I'd get no respect from a board of old white men. Dad says that he already hears grumblings about 'the young hotshot who thinks he knows more than all these seasoned businessmen.'

Heck, I'd be fighting with all those old guys every day for every move I'd want to make." Christian grimaced.

He turned to look at his wife and realized that she'd fallen asleep. He kissed her forehead and noticed that she was a bit warm and damp. He wanted to wake her to ask how she felt but, on the other hand, he wanted her to rest. When they got home, he'd have his mother take a look at her. That workup Ana had done a couple of months back showed that she was okay but he was worried. He'd sit with her for a while longer before they headed back.

It was almost an hour later and Ana was still asleep. Christian tried to still his fears. She always told him that he worried too much. He gave her a little shake and called out her name. It took another shake before she suddenly popped her eyes open.

She laughed, "Wow, way to enjoy the view, eh? Sit down and sleep through it."

"How do you feel?"

"Fine. I guess I needed that nap. Let's go. It's getting on toward the Elliot Cooking Show and I don't want to miss a thing," she laughed again.

She did seem to have more pep, he noted, deciding that he did worry too much.

The walk back down the trail was easier and Ana chattered away, putting Christian at ease.

She'd just needed a nap…that's all.

Soon after the car reached the edge of the trailhead and pulled out onto the highway, Christian looked over to Ana to see that she was again asleep. He drove fast.

When he pulled up to the front door, he slammed on the brakes hard. Ana's head bounced forward a bit but she didn't wake up. He ran up to the door and rang the bell, then ran back to the car to unbuckle Ana. She did awaken then and commented again on the good nap she'd had. When Christian helped her down, her legs gave out beneath her and she winced.

"Tell me," he commanded.

"I just had that pain in my side again is all." Ana replied.

"What pain? You haven't mentioned any pain."

"Haven't I? Mustn't have been a big deal then. I've just had a pain like a stitch you get when you run, you know? No big deal."

Christian picked her up with her protests and carried her inside as Gretchen opened the door.

"Mom, Mom!" his voice had an edge of panic that Grace recognized from that first day when he'd brought Ana home.

Grace came quickly and took Ana's blood pressure. It was high, not dangerously so, but well above where it should be. Her heart was also racing. Ana, herself, however, seemed untroubled. She excused it by saying that she was probably reacting to Christian's fear.

A cool cloth, a cool drink and Grace's cool demeanor brought Ana's BP down and calmed Christian. The pain she'd felt was also gone but Christian insisted that she lie down instead of watching the Elliot show. Within a few seconds of lying down, Ana was again asleep.

"Perhaps we should take her into the clinic tomorrow just to be on the safe side. And, for goodness sake, to bed early and no writing 'til dawn," ordered Grace.

An hour later, dinner was ready and Christian debated whether to awaken Ana. In the end he decided to wrap up some of it and put it aside for her for later. After he'd eaten, he went in to check on her. She was again warm and damp. Perhaps too many covers, he thought. He pulled the blanket down and then, to his horror, saw blood on the sheet. He shook Ana but she didn't wake up. He wrapped the blanket around her and headed for the car, yelling for his mother. Everyone got into their vehicles and raced toward the hospital. Grace had a red light she could place in her window for emergency trips so halfway there, a police car pulled in front of them and, using its own lights and siren, helped them weave fast through the traffic.

Elliot grabbed Ana from Christian's arms as he struggled to get out of the car and rushed her inside, yelling for a gurney. Grace and two nurses pushed the gurney through the swinging doors, leaving the rest in the waiting room. Christian cursed being left behind but knew he couldn't do anything anyway. He was a mess.

Grace came out 15 minutes later to say that Ana was being rushed into surgery, that an x-ray had shown that one of her fallopian tubes had ruptured. She had an ectopic pregnancy and the fetus had grown so large that it burst through the tube. Ana was in serious condition.

The family roamed the waiting room, taking turns, it seemed, in having panic attacks except for Christian who sat frozen in a chair, staring at the floor. The wait seemed to last forever with no word. Even Grace couldn't get information which wasn't a good sign although she didn't say so. No word meant every person involved in trying to save Ana was busy, very busy. Grace looked at her son, her silent son, and knew that if Ana died that this is how he would look for a long time to come.

"Oh, Carrick. I'm so terrified. Christian won't come back from this, I know it."

Carrick said nothing because he knew that she was right and that fact terrified him as well. Christian would just drive off a cliff or into a stone wall. He wouldn't survive losing Ana. They could lock him up, medicate him, keep eyes on him for years but eventually, given an opening, he would end himself. He didn't want to let his son go but he wondered if maybe they would have to accept his decision to leave a world without Ana. It wasn't fair. It was only in the last year or so that his youngest son had begun to find some peace and only since Ana, had he found happiness.

Carrick also knew that Christian would probably kill Elena. She'd been quiet since the abduction attempt but no one had forgotten the poison that Elena's thugs had made Ana breathe into her system. Christian would pay her back for that.

The hours dragged on. People came and went from the cafeteria. They kept trying to get Christian to eat or drink something. Using logic like 'Ana needs you to be strong for her now' meant nothing. He didn't hear. Pleas from his mother to stay hydrated were ignored. He didn't move the slightest inch since they'd brought Ana in. He was deep inside himself somewhere. Maybe he was reliving all the time he'd spent with Ana since they'd met.

Finally, after an eternity, a woman in scrubs came into the room. She looked like a dozen other people in scrubs who'd come and gone through the waiting room but somehow Christian knew that this was the person they'd been waiting on for so long. He knew before Grace did.

He was in front of her face as the words, 'Grey family', left her mouth. "Is she alive?" he asked.

The woman smiled. "Yes, she's alive. I've never seen a ruptured tube so bad before and I hope never to again. But, gosh, is she a tough little thing," chuckled the woman.

Elliot caught his brother as he toppled backwards before he hit his head on the floor. Someone brought a cup of water and Elliot brought it to Christian's lips. "You do not get to see Ana until you drink every drop. I'm not kidding, bro."

Christian chugged it and, with Elliot's help, got to his feet. "Where?" is all he said. The woman said to follow her. No one had told her but she seemed to know that this was the person most important to her patient. She explained as they walked down the corridor the difficulties they encountered in trying to save Ana and then how surprised the team was that their desperately ill patient had beaten the odds. Everyone was thrilled, she said. It would be some time before she woke up and was able to talk but she would wake up. She would have to spend some time recovering in the hospital and there were things to discuss but she knew that all that mattered to this man right now was that the woman was alive.

A couple of turns down corridors and the woman pointed to a door. Christian turned to her and said, "were you her surgeon?". "Yes," she replied. For the first time, tears formed in his eyes, "thank you." Then he walked in and leaned over the slight woman in the bed. Ana was hooked up to a plethora of tubing with a breathing mask on her face. He kissed her forehead and her cheeks. He put his hand on her head, so small he nearly covered it. He took her hand and kissed it over and over before he sat down in the chair next to it. He was talking to her but so softly that it was almost whispers.

The surgeon beamed. It was an incredible win. There were too many losses she had to endure over the years. She turned from the door to see the entire family bunched up in the hallway, all with questioning faces. She walked down to them.

"So good to see you, Grace, especially on such a very good day. That daughter-in-law of yours gave me the best day I've had in a long time. It was amazing. If you're interested, I'll show you my notes. I know that you could appreciate them. Now, Ana can't have more than 2 people at a time in her room, you know, just in case there is a problem and we have to get in fast."

"I've explained that to my anxious family. We know that her husband is not about to give up his seat so we'll each take a turn. I'll go first just in case my son has questions. Dr. Thomas, we will owe you and your team forever. We all love this girl so very much." Grace wrapped her arms around Mia and said, "be patient, ok?" Mia nodded and Grace walked into the room.

She looked at the chart hanging on the wall and then observed all the monitors for a few minutes. "Mom?"

"Yes, son. Ana is doing remarkably well. She'll be carefully monitored for the next 24 hours but I'm not concerned at all."

At that, Christian broke finally. His heavy sobs could be heard down at the end of the hallway by the entire family. Mia looked disturbed for a moment until her father assured her that they were sobs of relief. Ana was fine or people would be running into the room.

The sobs continued for several minutes and soon all the family was hugging and crying. None of them had ever heard anyone, certainly not Christian, cry like that. Elliot stood apart from the others while he called Harvard. He hadn't alerted Kate. He didn't want to upset her and if things had gone badly, he would have flown to Cambridge to talk to her in person.

"Hi, beautiful. Are you studying? No, no, you should keep working. I just needed to hear your voice," he said, his own cracking. "Yes, of course, I miss you but that isn't why I'm calling or crying. We had some drama here today and I didn't want to tell you about it until all was well.

Well, Ana had an fallopian tube rupture….yeah, yeah, ectopic pregnancy. Well, you know Ana. She's been having pains for a while and no energy but, of course, kept it to herself because she worries about Christian worrying.

She was in surgery forever and Christian sat frozen for the entire time. Yeah, we brought her in around 5. Had a police escort. That was cool…" Elliot's voice cracked and he tried not to cry but he was sniffling quite a bit.

"No, no, Katie girl...I shouldn't have called you earlier. You would have been alone and it was hell waiting even with the whole family here. I think it's just hitting me and I thought of you. I'm gonna do some reading up so I recognize symptoms…yeah, yeah," he laughed, "I know that _you_ wouldn't have suffered in silence…still, baby…yeah, yeah...no, I don't think she'll even be conscious for a day or so. I'll tell her and she'll probably call you on her ipad just to tell you that we all made a fuss about nothing…no, no, don't you ever pull that brave kind of crap on me. No, promise me! God, honey, you should have heard Christian a few minutes ago. He was sobbing from relief so hard, so loud, I'm surprised that you didn't hear him out in Cambridge. Listen, try to study and maybe call me tomorrow. I'll call your parents next. They're gonna be pissed at me but, like you, they couldn't have done anything and your dad's heart isn't the best either.

Kate, I love you, baby, so so much. Take care of yourself 'til I can, ok? Bye."

Elliot ended the call and then leaned against the wall bawling for a few minutes before he calmed enough to call the Kavanaugh's. As he predicted, they were both furious with him for not calling earlier but he explained again that they didn't call anybody because no one could do anything anyway. Yeah, he called Kate and he would let them know as soon as they could visit Ana. Well, he defended himself, if he had called, Ana would have let him have it for upsetting her aunt and uncle when they couldn't do anything. Yeah, damned if you do. Damned if you don't.

With his calls completed, he went back to his family. Grace was offering more explanation of what had happened to Ana to Mia while Carrick was in with his son, telling him that he'd take care of the business for as long as it took. Then it was Elliot's turn.

Ana was alive but it was hard to tell. She was as white as the sheets and so still. Christian looked up and smiled. "Where you been, bro?"

"Had to call Kate and then her folks. Naturally, they all yelled at me for not calling sooner. I thought my reasoning was sound but I don't think they did. They're all kind of in shock but it would have been stupid to make them wait around like we did. Kate would probably have gotten on a plane…still might and Eamon's heart… we might have had another patient.

Well, the little mite looks great."

"Yeah, I took her picture. I want her to see what she put us through. Days, El, for days she's been in pain."

"Yeah, Kate promised me that she'd never be a brave little gal like Ana. I hope I can believe her. I'm gonna marry her, bro."

"No kidding. Well, that will certainly make Mom happy. I was a little afraid that she'd make us go through a vow renewal ceremony just to get that backyard wedding that she's been looking forward to. But I thought you'd decided to break up."

"Yeah, that was the plan but after you and Ana went in to take your 'nap', I started driving. Hardly knew what I doing but I drove right up to her door, told her that I was not going to see anyone else and neither was she and we agreed and just as I was leaving, I turned around and told her parents that I was going to marry her just as soon as I could get her to agree to it."

"Oh, bro, my wife has done it again," crowed Christian.

"Whadda ya mean?"

"Just before she called you to tell you that you needed to learn to cook, I was attempting to pleasure her when she sat up and said, 'El is going to marry Kate'. And I said, the manwhore of Seattle, hardly. And Ana said, as if I'd said nothing, that she'd better warn you to learn how to feed the both of them. 'Course, I'm sitting there with a painful erection while she's advising you on cooking."

"So, I gotta ask. When I hung up, did you get what you wanted?"

"Well, if I wanted 10 minutes of begging for mercy while Ana discussed teaching you how to cook, then yeah…"snorted Christian.

Ana remained unconscious for 36 hours and Christian rarely left her side. When the medical crew finally removed the breathing mask after 24 hours, he spent the next 12 kissing her, applying lip balm to her dry and cracking lips and sticking little sponges in her mouth which she automatically sucked on. Sometimes he would fall asleep and then jerk awake thinking he'd been out for hours when it had been minutes. Though members of the family came by to relieve him, they only kept him company because he wouldn't leave. He joked about borrowing her catheter so that he wouldn't have to leave her long enough to use the toilet 10 feet from her bed.

When she opened her eyes, he was looking into them. She immediately smiled and puckered her lips. He kissed them….then held her face as tears fell from his eyes unto her cheeks. She felt the drops, saw his overflowing eyes and tried to speak. All she could manage was mouthing the word 'why'. All he could manage was to stare at her. It was several minutes before he got out "hospital" and "you're okay."

After a while, a nurse came in and did some checks and smiled at 'our little miracle' as she called Ana. While Ana tried to move her head, Christian called his mother who was close by. She came in and smiled at Ana from the foot of the bed. "I can tell from your expression that no one has told you anything."

Christian was still leaning over Ana, kissing her forehead, trying to regain his composure.

"Ana," began Grace, "do you remember taking a hike with Christian recently?"

Ana looked puzzled and mouthed 'no'.

"Well, that's all right. It may come back to you. Well, when Christian got you home, you weren't well and a while later it was discovered that you were hemorrhaging so we brought you here. You were found to have a ruptured fallopian tube. Do understand what I've just said?"

Ana looked at Grace for several moments. Then with tears in her eyes, she mouthed 'baby gone?'

"Yes, dear, the fetus was growing in the tube instead of your womb. There is no way yet to move a ectopic pregnancy from the tube to the womb. I'm sorry. The good news for all of us is that you survived this rupture. It was very bad. There was nothing you could do to prevent an ectopic pregnancy. You did nothing wrong, Ana. Do you understand?"

Ana closed her eyes tight, with tears flowing down her face.

"Baby, did you hear Mom?"

Christian looked helplessly at his mother. "Just give her time, Christian. It's a shock and she's been through a terrible ordeal. We all have. It will take time for all of us to recover."

Christian sat on the edge of the bed, leaning on his hand on the other side of his wife and gently wiping her tears with his other hand. "There was so much blood and then we waited for hours while you were in surgery. Ana, I've never known fear like that. It was beyond anything I could have imagined. I didn't move a muscle for hours for fear that if I did, I'd shatter into a million pieces. I just kept repeating to myself that you'd promised in our vows that you'd never leave me."

"Lost baby. Blame me?" Ana spoke in the tiniest of whispers.

"Didn't you hear Mom, baby? There is no way to prevent an ectopic pregnancy and there is no way to save an embryo that develops in a tube. You didn't lose a baby. You did nearly lose your life. I nearly lost my life but you pulled through. Don't you understand what losing you would have done to me. It would have destroyed me, Ana. You are everything. Nothing else matters, nothing else, without you. Tell me that you get that. That first night you walked into my room to rescue me from Angela….that night you became the world to me."

"Business?" Ana whispered.

"Yeah, I want it to succeed…for us. But if it didn't and I had to make a living gutting fish, I'd be okay as long as I had you. I used to think that owning my business was the most important thing but that was before I met you. I never dared dream of love…control and power were the best I thought I could do. Now I dream bigger…you, always you."

Grace came by at the end of her shift. She was still a bit jittery even though it had been a couple of days now since Ana's surgery. The possibility of her dying had shaken the family to its core. One's children brought one constant worry, Grace thought, but this ordeal had been the worst she and Carrick had ever endured. It wasn't just the loss of Ana but the loss of Christian thereafter that had terrified them so.

As she walked into the room, Christian put his finger to his lips, asking his mother for silence. He rose from his chair and took her out into the hallway. "Ana just went to sleep. She's been restless. She keeps looking at me and saying, "baby gone". I know that we're going to have to deal with her blaming herself, Mom, although I don't understand how she could have become pregnant in the first place."

"Well, it's possible that the poisonous chemicals that she inhaled during that attempt to abduct her could have messed with her Depo shot. Her surgeon said that she was easily more than 2 months pregnant. And no form of contraceptive is 100% effective. On the shot Ana wouldn't have periods so she wouldn't have known that she was pregnant. Some people like that advantage but it can be disadvantageous as well as this incident with Ana shows. Before she leaves here, I'm going to have a specialist take a look at Ana's medical notes and have a discussion with you both. I think you need to learn the extent of harm that a pregnancy could do to Ana with her heart condition."

Upon seeing the flash of fear in Christian's eyes, Grace looked sadly at him. "I knew that that talk was a future necessity, son, but I just didn't think the need for it would come so soon. Perhaps if I'd been sharper….."

"No, Mom. I'd never blame you nor would Ana."

As scheduled, the heart specialist came to talk with Ana and Christian the next day. Both had dreaded it. They instinctively knew that what he had to say would be painful. They'd been researching online and results seemed inconclusive.

"Good morning" the doctor greeted them. He looked over Ana's chart and then sat down. "Well, Mrs. and Mr. Grey, I've studied all the work done on you and the tests results. It is clear from these results that Mrs. Grey should not have children. Even with one tube, you could become pregnant but it is likely that the egg would rest, again, in the fallopian tube. If the egg made it to your womb, you would not be able to carry the baby to term. You would likely miscarry. And if you did carry the baby to term, you would not be able to survive labor and would not survive a surgery, i.e. caesarian delivery. Any way you look at it, Mr. and Mrs. Grey, you were meant to give a home to a child who would otherwise have none. Now, I know I sound brusque and matter-of-fact. Delivering this kind of news to patients is the worst part of my job. The news I deliver feels like I am destroying someone's life. Most become angry, call me a quack and tell me that they'll get a second opinion. Some have ignored our advice and gone ahead with a pregnancy. Sometimes we're able to save their lives. So, do you have anything to say or to ask?"

"I'm adopted. I was saved from a terrible situation. I am not opposed to adoption nor is Ana. I suppose that the two of us thought we'd have a couple of biological children first,….."Christian trailed off.

"And you Ana, how do you feel?"

"Truthfully? I feel numb. I think it will hit me later. I mean, I know that pregnancy and labor are no picnic but I wanted so much to feel my baby growing in me. Christian would sing to it and I would sit in my rocking chair and talk to it. And there would be all the excitement of the baby finally emerging…..I'll miss that."

"Doctor," Christian spoke again, "We hold no animus toward you. We thank you for you investigating and delivering such difficult news."

"Yes," reiterated Ana, "we thank you delivering the news so clearly and matter-of-factly."

After the doctor left, Ana and Christian looked at each other. "We're okay, we know the score, and we'll survive, as always, together," promised Christian as strongly as he could.

Ana nodded, unable to speak as the tears flowed down her cheeks. Christian climbed into the bed with her and held her as her sobs grew louder. "Do you know what I need right now? To be inside you where I'm safe."

Ana indicated the phone next to the bed. She called the nurses station and asked if she was due for any checks or medication. Then she asked that she and her husband be left alone for at least two hours….no visitors, no medical personnel. She told the nurse that she and her husband had just received devastating news and needed to be alone to think it through. The nurse assured her that all personnel would be informed and a sign put on her door.

"Make love to me, husband. I need you. I need your strength and your fierce protectiveness of me. It's been too long." Ana whispered in his ear. And so in a hospital bed, mindful of Ana's stitches, Christian made slow, gentle love to the wife he worshipped.

After, they remained connected and close together. Christian held Ana as she cried again, as she said stupid things like her sorrow at having failed him in giving him a family, like her claim that he would be better off with a healthy woman, like her feeling that she'd been nothing but trouble.

Christian drew her closer and said, "yeah, I sure got the short end of the stick." And Ana laughed because she knew she was talking nonsense.

"You know, I like the idea of adoption. All three of us were adopted and the thought that if our parents had wanted us we might never have even met is disturbing. It wouldn't be right. We belong with each other. We are the Greys."

Grace came in later to talk with Ana about her experience with infertility and miscarriage while Carrick took his son down to the cafeteria. Men, he explained, suffered also from the experience.

 **THE HOLIDAYS**

For some time after Ana came home, she had periods of depression and nightmares about little copper headed boys with grey eyes. The two were playing in a meadow behind a beautiful house fronting the Sound. Then the little boy, laughing, began to run from her until she began to panic as he yelled "mommy" and slowly faded from her. She would wake up screaming for him, getting out of bed, going to search for him. Sometimes, she was so fast, Christian didn't catch her until she was already in the backyard. She'd collapse to her knees, crying and screaming for her little boy. Christian would envelope her in his arms while Mia comforted her mother and Carrick held them both. The dreams were so strong that it took Ana some time to come back to reality.

It was the little boy she'd lost and he'd come back to her. Oh, Christian, she said, you should have seen him. He looks just like you. He's somewhere in the woods. I can still hear him. He needs me. Christian, tears falling, would just rock her and tell it was only a dream. Their little one was gone.

Eventually, the dreams became less real to her and eventually she found some peace. Christian tried to love her into exhaustion and then he would stay awake keeping watch. He'd never needed much sleep so toward dawn he'd close his eyes.

With the holiday break coming, Kate coming home, all the special dinners and parties, there was much to do and to distract Ana. Christian was anxious to get Ros back and involved in his business. He had been concerned that, despite their many talks, Ros would want to be a partner but Christian had always wanted the business to belong to him and now, of course, to Ana alone. Thankfully, Gwen had made clear to Ros that since she was giving up her hometown, Boston, and leaving behind everyone she knew that she expected Ros to keep regular hours and free weekends. Being a partner in a business meant late nights and traveling. So, Ros understood the tradeoff and without the woman she loved, partnership in Google would have been lonely and pointless.

Elliot's business was improving since Ana had taken him under her wing. Every night after dinner the two would sit at the dining room table and go over his books, which were in terrible shape. She taught him how to do and to read spreadsheets. She taught him how to better negotiate the purchase of materials, horrified that he was often being cheated on deals. Elliot really enjoyed Ana's company when he'd go to suppliers.

He'd laugh at dinner about his 6'5" 250 of lbs. of muscle walking into a supplier's office. How at first they couldn't even see the tiny woman standing with him and probably assumed she was his assistant. Then they'd start in with their offer and hear a woodland fairy giggle. Ana would quickly inquire as to how they managed to do business with such silly notions of the costs of things. She'd have a grown man turning white and looking stunned as she offered an entirely different proposal. Sometimes they were startled by her beauty but soon intimidated by her range of knowledge and her determination to get a fair deal for her client. She'd smile sweetly at them as she firmly offered her proposal…take it or leave it. A couple of times, she and Elliot made it all the way to the parking lot before the salesman came running.

"She's amazing. Hell, the mite scares me sometimes," roared Elliot.

Then there were the clients themselves, demanding, unreasonable, suspicious. They were scared, actually. They were certain that they were going to be taken by the intimidating lug who was building their house. Surely he would cheat them. Why, their friends, the Jones, had….and blah, blah, blah. Everyone had a horror story.

Ana showed Elliot how to draw up plans that were easier for clients to understand while he used the more complex plans to do the actual building. She showed him how to put the cost of each feature next to its picture on the plan. Being able to understand what things cost and where the money was going eased the client's mind. Ana taught Elliot how important it was to greet clients who kept coming to the site. Certainly it was time consuming but made the client feel listened to and after a bit of time, he could say that, well, he was being paid to work so he'd have to excuse himself.

As time went on, using what Ana taught him, Elliot was able to spend more time biding on projects and negotiating, hire more people and spend less time on site. He became a supervisor, less a worker. He felt pretty good about himself. He also knew that his Kate wanted to be the wife of a man who could support her in the style to which she was accustomed and had no intentions of working after they had their first child.

One day, after meeting with a client, Ana asked Elliot to show her a property downtown, just on the edge of the ritzier area. It was still kind of tattered but Ana liked its character. It was a two story brick duplex. It needed everything, Elliot pointed out, but Ana was undeterred. She dragged Elliot to meet with the realtor who, of course, didn't know with whom he was dealing. By the time Ana got done with him, he was ready to beg her to just take the place off his hands.

"It has plenty of room on the first level to have offices for you and Ros. The second floor has room for two apartments with two bedrooms each and since the space is basically empty loft at the moment, we can design it to our specifications. We can build our kitchens and baths back to back to make the plumbing cheaper and our master bedrooms at opposite ends of the building for more privacy. We can get the place for a song and, of course, we have access to a master designer/builder."

"I've already looked over our books. It would be better to buy the place outright than to rent and if we hustle, we can move in right after the New Year." She and Christian were lying in bed, face to face and still connected after love making for the last hour. It was always hard for Christian to concentrate when he was spent, looking into Ana's eyes, his hand playing in her impossibly soft hair. He was worn out but he still wanted her. "Honey, are you listening to me?"

asked Ana. "Yeah, yeah, you're so beautiful. You take my breath away," he said, leaning in to kiss her yet again.

"Christian! If you don't even try to pay attention, I will take these breasts and cover them with flannel."

"I _am_ trying, Ana," laughed Christian. "Okay, let's go see the place today." Then he wrapped his arms tightly around her and buried his nose in her hair and began to move inside her again.

Later that day, Christian looked around him. "Geez, Ana, this certainly has that shabby chic, loaded with 'character' stuff you're always going on about. It needs everything. For one thing, we're going to have to punch a hole in this wall so Ros and I can get to each other's offices without going around outside. And look….when you turn on a faucet, you get brown water. The electrical system will have to be completely overhauled or two minutes after we turn it on, the place will burn down. Then these windows are single-paned and a thousand years old."

"The bricks we remove can be resold. They're antique. Yes, the plumbing will need a healthy amount to replace. We don't know how far down the problem goes and the electrical will certainly need a upgrade to handle our computer systems. The glass is likewise antique and valuable. These wide board floors can be sold for a goodly amount as well. I'd prefer slate anyway. El and I have already figured all the specifications and costs. I'll show those to you later. This building is on the edge of a chic-chic area that is moving west. In two years, you won't be able to afford this area.

Now, look across the street. There are several acres over there, empty for years since the warehouses burned down. We can get that acreage for pennies on the dollar."

"For what?" said a puzzled Christian.

"For our next building. This company, as you pointed out to me, is growing and growing fast. This little duplex will be worth a lot of money in a few years but too small for our needs. We're going to need to build. Elliot and I have already been going over a few ideas. By that time we'll be on the edge of the better part of town and a few years after that, smack dab in the middle," grinned Ana. "Dream big, baby."

Christian knew who he was dealing with, of course, but even he was amazed. He just stared at Ana before he took her into his arms and kissed her deep and true. She was a constant thrill.

So, next he knew he was the part-owner of a brick duplex on the edge of the toniest part of town and he'd put in a bid on the land across the street.

He stood outside his new property with his arm wrapped around his wife's shoulders, smiling and laughing.

Ana dragged him to used furniture stores for desks and chairs and file cabinets. He, himself, found a large old clock, a lovely old piece that was perfect for the building. He was quite proud of himself.

Elliot figured that he owed quite a bit to Ana so he made up the plans and devoted crew #3 exclusively to the duplex.

Meanwhile, Grace was dashing about preparing for Thanksgiving while still working full shifts at the hospital. She, Ana and Mia planned to have dinner with the family and then spend the rest of the afternoon in the pediatric ward. Elliot, under the impression that Kate was given winter break starting with Thanksgiving was moping around upon discovering that winter break began December 20. He was taking the difference in his thinking and Harvard's personally. He planned to write an alumni letter to the president explaining that he was on his way to being a very rich man and would not be inclined to share his wealth if they would not free his girlfriend. Kate spent 30 minutes on Skype talking him out of embarrassing her.

But soon overeating and watching football was in the past and it was less than a month until Christmas. "I miss my girl!" Elliot went about yelling to no one in particular. Grace and Ana were going through a marriage worth of bed linens, Grace never threw anything away, to find things for the apartment. Then on to a marriage worth of kitchen items. Some would go to Ana and Christian, the rest to Ros and Gwen. "Why don't you just buy all new stuff?" asked Mia, who then had economics explained to her. Grace and Carrick didn't think their youngest would ever leave home except on the arm of a very rich and very patient young man.

Then Ethan Kavanaugh came home. He had decided to finish his residency in New York and possibly even establish his practice there. That is, until he got a load of Mia Grey. He didn't even know who she was. He had just arrived and all the welcome homing from his parents had worn him out. So, he decided to hit the nearest Starbucks to relax and watch people. Sitting in a table near the back, he observed and made notes. Then a tall, shapely girl with black hair floating around her shoulders, framing a pale face, strode gracefully into the shop. Even from this distance he could see her emerald eyes popping out of that lovely pale face. He had never seen anyone like her. Was she real? Did she dye her hair and wear green contacts? She must. That body, though, that was real. He watched mesmerized as she ordered her non-fat latte and then sat down at a table near his to wait her turn. He heard himself speak although he hadn't intended to do so.

"I didn't catch the name you gave the barista," he smiled at her.

She looked at him, green eyes blazing, "Now why would you be meant to catch it?"

"Because I want to know who you are," Ethan boldly replied.

"I will be gone in two minutes," and then she seemed to reconsider, "Mia, Mia Grey."

"Of _the_ Greys?" he asked, appearing delighted.

Now she grew wary. She was used to being liked simply because she was a Grey and today in particular was not in the mood to entertain social climbers. "Yes," she replied wearily, " _the_ Greys." Just then her name was called and she swiftly rose to her feet with those legs that went on forever and approached the counter to collect her drink. Then, without looking back, she left…her covert protection following.

Ethan sat stunned. Wow, he thought. He quickly called Kate and began peppering her with questions. Is that hair real? Are those eyes real? Is she seeing anyone? The answer to every question was yes but he didn't care. He needed to see that girl again.

Seeing as how they were in the middle of a couple of important acquisitions already, Ana and Christian decided to pass on one suggested by Ros who was greatly pissed about missing out although she did concede that at some point, they would all need to acquire some real estate. The possible acquisition wasn't of necessity anyway. Ros needed to slow down and stop trying to snap up every bankrupt company. It was important to be clear about the direction in which they were going. Vision is where Christian excelled. He didn't want Grey Enterprises Holdings to be a scattershot company that simply accumulated with no rhyme or reason. He wanted a telecommunications company. It was going to get complicated he knew. He also knew that both he and Ana needed to be educated in the particulars of telecommunications. For that they had books and google but mostly they had Grampa Theodore who'd been mentoring Christian since he was a boy. Gramps had owned his own company for years and it made him rich. He wanted Christian to take it over after he graduated but Christian was determined to build his own. Besides he knew that Gramps would always be looking over his shoulder, determined to guide his grandson. Christian felt that he needed to learn by doing, by making his own mistakes.

Still, he was no fool; he had the perfect resource and he wasn't going to ignore it. So, he consulted constantly with his grandfather. And, oh how Grampa Theo loved Ana. She was so patient with him and having no family history of her own, she loved to listen to Gramps stories.

Christian was often amazed at the minutia Ana knew. He could ask her almost anything about the telecommunications industry and she usually knew the answer….because she listened to Gramps for hours. Christian liked to watch them talk because he knew Ana was calm and safe.

She never got tired when listening to Gramps. Grammie mock grumbled that her man had a new woman and she was gonna get out her shotgun and make short work of that hussy. In truth, she adored Ana and how happy and useful she made Gramps feel. He'd been kinda out of sorts since he retired.

Grace was manic about her efforts to prepare for Christmas. So much would be happening. Kate coming home was the biggest thing, of course. Her eldest could settle down. His depression was difficult to deal with. He was, remarkably, being faithful to Kate. He said that he valued his balls but everyone knew that he just wasn't attracted to other women anymore. Christian marveled that, while having a guy's night out, all Elliot could do was talk about Kate while pretty, skanky blondes were desperately trying to get his attention. He didn't even notice them. For the first time Elliot needed affection. Ana tried to help. She'd put her arm through his and take him for a walk down to the water, thus giving everyone else a break from listening to his "Kate talk".

She'd sit next to him on the couch and hold his hand or put her arm around him. When he walked in the door for dinner, every night she greeted him with a sweet kiss on the cheek, a hug and then walk arm in arm with him into the kitchen where they'd sit and talk about the one whose name shall be mentioned with every breath. He sought her out whenever he came into the house and if she and Christian were in their room, he would yell "Come on, Christian. Share." Christian understood what Ana was doing and wasn't really jealous. He'd just watch as El and Ana would walk hand in hand down by the water and love her even more. For the thousandth time, he would wonder how he got so lucky.

Mia, Ana, Grace and Gretchen baked miles of pies and Christmas cookies and hid them from Elliot. They prepared everything for the Christmas dinner except the actual meal. They were getting itchy. It would be a very special Christmas with their new daughter, their soon-to-be daughter, GEH doing so well, Ana's good health, even their extra special guests—the Kavanaughs.

To save Kate having to make a choice, it seemed a good idea to have her parents eat at the Grey's.

Grace had been a bit concerned that Mrs. Kavanaugh might take the invitation badly so they had Ana take the invite with her on one of her visits. She told her Uncle Eamon and Aunt Dana that she didn't know how to split her time between her families. She melted their hearts knowing that she still considered them family and she wanted her family all together at Christmas.

All that family included Ethan Kavanaugh. Mia had seen him once or twice as a kid, from a distance and had been unimpressed. But this time, when a tall, dark haired man with blue eyes walked into her kitchen to thank Grace for the invitation, Mia gave him a sour look.

"So, do you think it's funny that you knew me but I didn't know you…in the Starbucks?"

"Oh, yes, now I remember. Non-fat latte. Stuck up." Kate, a few feet away, picking up a plate of appetizers, chuckled. "Don't let him fool you, Mia. You're all he's talked about for days."

Ethan smiled a devastating smile. He wasn't embarrassed at all. He introduced himself and asked how soon they could go on a date.

"Down, boy. How about we have dinner first? Seems our families are merging and we are celebrating," chided Mia.

"Great. Merging sounds good," he grinned, pleased that he'd made her blush.

After that, for the rest of his holiday break, he and Mia merged as often as possible. He spent all his time at the Grey's, following her around like a puppy, fascinated by all things Mia. He didn't mind that she chattered constantly and loudly. He found her to be the funniest woman he'd ever known. No woman had ever before engaged him so, delighted him so. He had a permanent smile on his face. Grace and Dana smiled like co-conspirators, 2 weddings they thought, 2!

Ana pointed out that at the Greys there would be plenty of cooks in the kitchen and so many people to have fun with. She smiled at Eamon and said that she just happened to know where Carrick kept the good bourbon and Cuban cigars. As fathers-in-law, they would want to sit in the study and discuss their charges, Ana and Kate. She suggested that Eamon tell Carrick stories about Ana growing up in their care. And Dana could have a sit-down with Grace. So, when Ana got done with them, the Kavanaughs were quite enthusiastic.

When everyone waited at the airport for Kate's arrival, Elliot was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. A quick family convo agreed that he be allowed the first "crack" at Kate. "It's so hard to let your children go, isn't it," Grace remarked, with her arm around Dana. Dana sadly nodded. "If I'd known that they'd grow up so quickly….."she trailed off, leaning into Grace's embrace for comfort. "You're lucky, you know, having your children at home still." "Well, the duplex Ana told you about is done and the day after Christmas, two of my children will be gone.

"Of, course, we'll still have Mia and since Kate can't cook, I suspect that she and Elliot will be daily dinner guests. Did Ana tell you that Elliot is taking cooking lessons?" asked Grace. "Oh, my lord, no she did not. You and I have to have weekly talks, Grace." "I agree, Dana. Let's think about a compatible date."

"Well, I'll tell right now, Grace. My Kate is not a homemaker. I failed in the department. She always resisted and I guess I just gave up. I'll have a talk with her….a stern talking to. She cannot expect Elliot to do laundry and cleaning and cooking. I'm ashamed to say that we have spoiled her, Grace. She'd tell me that she was going to marry a man with enough money to let her live in luxury and I'd be horrified. I'd tell that all she saw around her was due to years of very hard work by her father and that we did not become rich until she was around 5. She used to wonder why I helped the "help". It's because I need to contribute."

"If you'd like to contribute Dana," suggested Grace, "I am always looking for help with the Coping Together Gala. You know planning that event is a year long endeavor and I'm always looking for more help."

"That's an excellent idea, Grace. Thank you for asking me. I never realized that you wanted more help. I guess I thought that you already had a cadre of helpers, kind of a private club, with everyone knowing their particular job. Had I known that you needed help, I would surely have offered before now."

"Oh, yes," sighed Grace, I always have some help but, you know, they come and go as they tire of the workload. I have no cadre," she laughed. I could really use a good and faithful sidekick. So think it over first. Think perhaps of some questions about the work to be done before you commit to it."

"I'll do that, Grace. Thank you for asking. Oh, there she is. See at the back of the ramp. Oh, I know I promised but it is hard not to knock Elliot out of the way," she laughed.

"Kate," yelled Elliot. She looked up and ran to him, rudely knocking past several passengers ahead of her. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged the breath out of him. Then she put her mouth on his and everyone hemmed and hawed and studied the flooring for a good 5 minutes. "They've got to come up for air sometime," muttered Carrick. When they did, they just looked at each , then Kate whispered something in Elliot's ear and he instantly had to make an adjustment in his pants. Everyone assumed that Kate would be home with Elliot for a few hours. Thereafter, everyone contributed their own greetings. Kate grabbed Ana into her arms and tears formed in her eyes as she said how much she wished she could have been here when Ana was so sick. Ana kissed her cheek and said that she knew Kate was out there worried sick and feeling distressed. Then Elliot collected Kate's luggage and they all piled in their separate cars. "One hour?" confirmed Elliot. Kate nodded and beamed at him.

Kate spent some time with her folks and then said she and Elliot would be back for dinner. They had some serious talking to do. Dana snarked as they drove away, "talk, my aunt fanny."

Christian noted to his mother that they shouldn't expect Elliot for dinner until Kate flew out again. He even noted that he would miss him, just a little, but in a couple of weeks the "I want Kate" depression would start all over again. He also noted that it was a surprise to find that he and Elliot had love in common. Both had been such heartless manwhores until one look at the women they were meant to be with knocked them right into faithful forever land. Thus inspired, Christian sat at the piano, something he seldom did in public, but today seeing his brother so happy in love and being so happy in love himself, he sat the piano and sang an old Disney tune taught him by his teacher, Miss Kathy, at the age of six. He asked Ana to sit with him while his parents, sister and Gretchen listened. They were amazed because Christian never sang.

Faithful forever whatever I do  
Remember I'm true, remember that  
Faithful forever and thankful for you  
I'll keep smiling through, remember that  
We may be apart now and then  
But I'll hold you in my heart  
Till you're in my arms again  
Faithful forever I promise to be  
So always have faith in me

Ana cried, hugging Christian tightly while everyone else cried, too, even Gretchen who would never forgive Ana for marrying the man she'd wanted for years. Ana and Christian decided to take a 'nap' and everyone else decided to go back to whatever they were doing. What Grace and Carrick were doing a lot was sitting in his study drinking bourbon, talking about the "kids" leaving in less than two weeks. Ana had become such an in-depth part of their lives that they couldn't imagine her leaving. Oh, sure, they'd miss their son but Ana was just different, that's all. The way she helped Elliot, her warmth and her laugh, her pies. They talked about how they felt endless gratitude that their son had found her of all people. They couldn't conceive of anyone else being with Christian.

Christian felt the same way as he made love to his beautiful, wonderful wife. They were made for each other, he was sure. Sexual compatibility didn't begin to describe sex with Ana. It was like they'd been making love forever, they knew each other so well. Yet it also felt so new each time. Christian couldn't conceive of a time when he and Ana would become bored with each other. It didn't seem possible when his need for her seemed part of his soul. He loved, _needed_

to watch her come apart, screaming his name and he knew that she needed that, too. He knew guys who complained about their women not giving them blowjobs. He'd ask them if they kept their, ahem, equipment extremely clean. Did they make sure that their women were always well satisfied first. He suggested fruity lubes that would make their dicks taste good. He emphasized that they let their women take control…no shoving their dicks into a woman's mouth. How much, how far, how deep was completely up to her. He was surprised at how many men didn't think about hygiene, laughed at lube, and claimed that their women didn't want to be orally worked over. Mostly, they rolled on top of her and grunted and rolled off. And, of course, their partners _never_ initiated sex and sometimes they even had to beg for it.

Christian concluded that men's locker rooms were very depressing places to be. He told Ana about these discussions and she said she heard the women's versions in her locker rooms and, to be sure, there were not many satisfied women. She said when we get rich, let's put in our own gym. Christian agreed. Then, cupping her buttocks, he raised her legs and marveled at her pretty pink lips before he rubbed his nose up and down to catch her scent. Then he used his tongue to open her lips and began to suck, nibble, and otherwise tease her little nub. It's so good, he'd remark while Ana writhed and pushed his head down. When she came, he'd look up and grin. He'd just made her feel good, really good. He nibbled his way up her body to her breasts. Ana had very sensitive breasts. By nibbling and sucking and biting he could prolong her orgasm. Finally, he needed so much to be inside of her and she was so wet, he just slid in. Using his arms supporting her legs, he raised her ass and slammed into her as deep as he possibly could. If he could have moved his entire body into Ana, he would have done it. It was so good inside her, he told her over and over. Warm. Soft. Wet like when a masseuse rubs warm oils all over you. Her vagina, he told, was home to him. She was home to him. And he loved that while he was enjoying his visit, he had learned over time how to position his dick to hit her sweet spot. They often came together. He laughed, thinking how loud it must get when they took their 'naps'.

The rest of the household didn't find it as funny. Gretchen had been getting headaches and needing to go home early. Mia either went shopping or put on headphones with music to drown out the world and Grace and Carrick reconsidered their dismay at their children leaving.

Christmas arrived. Christian and Ana had agree that any money they would spend on each other would instead go to Heifer International. The thought that because of them a family would have a water buffalo or chickens or a child could go to school make them feel giddy. They would wrap up their gift letters and get excited about opening them. Of course, Grace always made sure that everyone, including Kate this year, got a Christmas sweater. Everyone groaned their appreciation.

After opening presents, everyone gathered around the piano to sing Christmas carols, trying, without success, to get Christian to sing a solo. While most were at the piano, the women made the meal. Dana being included was genius on Grace's part. Not only was Dana an exceptional cook, she love doing so with other women. To her it was the women's version of a basketball game. And what she could do with a turkey! Never again, thought Grace, will I bake the bird.

Finally the dinner. Elliot complained about having to join hands and express gracefulness for this heavenly bounty. Geez, he whined, everyone already knows that _I'm_ more than grateful.

Grace noted, as did the other parents, that their children rarely took at least one of their hands off of their lover. It was surprising for Elliot who usually used both hands to grab at everything before it got away.

All too soon, Kate had to get on another plane for another trip to Cambridge, Mass. At the departure, before she went through security, she and Elliot clung to each other. Finally, with no time left, Kate had to go through security. She called back to Elliot, "Remember, Honey, make money. I'm useless," and then she wiggled her little behind at him, "at most things." Elliot laughed as she disappeared from sight.

Ethan, too, was leaving. He would be in New York for a year. Mia would fly in often. The leave taking at the airport was tearful and they clung to each other.

And then it was if Mia grew up overnight. She found a job as a sous chef at the Mile High Club and took it quite seriously. The raises kept coming and people were always asking to meet the chef. She really became famous for her desserts. She began to plot for her own bakery. She skyped every night with Ethan and then cried on Ana's shoulder. The separation was hard and much too long.

They hadn't even reached home before the "I need Kates" started. Everyone tried to tune him out except, of course, Ana. In the car, Ana sat between Christian and Elliot, each holding one of her hands. "Remember, El. When Kate gets back, I get Ana back." "Deal," said Elliot. "Oh, my god, 5 months! How the hell am I supposed to survive 5 months without my girl?" "Elliot, you still need to work on your business skills," cautioned Ana, "and you only have 5 months to learn everything before you spend all your time balls deep in my best friend."

Everyone dropped their jaws. "Where the fuck did you learn such language, my sweet innocent wife," demanded Christian. "From you and Elliot. Did you think I had temporary deafness around you two?" she giggled. "Geez, El," exclaimed Christian, "we're going to have to clean it up. We'll have children running around here someday, you know. Can you imagine the calls from school? So, let's work on that, okay?"

In the front seat, Grace and Carrick chuckled, remembering when they'd had to "clean it up".

 **LEAVING THE NEST**

The apartments above the duplex were completed and quite plush, thought the new owners.

Large walk-in showers, state of the art kitchens…"why do we need such fancy kitchens, El. We could have saved money on something basic," argued Christian. "Do you want to do the cooking, el chefo?" responded Elliot. Christian thanked the kitchen gods that Ana was downstairs.

The offices were quite nice, too. Christian had his desk at one end and Ana had hers at the other. Christian, however, intended for Ana to sit on his lap all day, with her laptop, writing her stories. She had such powers of concentration that she could tune him out while he talked or, more generally, yelled.

Ros, of course, had her office all to herself. There was a lovely arched doorway cut into the duplex walls. Elliot had also installed a special door. From Ros' end there was a simple lock. From C & A side the door could be shut and locked with a remote Christian kept in a drawer. The door itself was thick and soundproof. El figured that Christian would probably fuck Ana at least twice a day and Ros would not appreciate the noise.

When Ros and Gwen arrived, there a great to-do in their honor. Everyone, including the Kavanaughs, were thrilled to meet the women who would be part of their futures. Dana beamed at Gwen and said, "You're my first black relative." Gwen roared at that, knowing that Dana meant no ill will. Dana was embarrassed at her remark and said, "Well, of course, it is by marriage."

Everyone laughed louder because that wasn't true either. It was just that Dana knew the Ros and Gwen would be included in everything now.

They loved their apartment. Gwen was thrilled with her kitchen. Ros was thrilled with her office and its thick walls. She knew what Christian and Ana could be like. She walked in on them once too often back at school.

Leaving taking at the Grey Manor was sad. There was much hugging and kissing and promises of dinner and lunch. For more than five months, Grace and Carrick had not only sheltered their children, they'd seen them through an attempted abduction, a slug fest between Ana and Elena, Ana's terrifying and horrible illness and subsequent depression….all these things had tightened their bond. Grace and Carrick were truly Mom and Dad to Ana. She cried all the way into town and then all the way through it while Christian held her as Elliot drove the moving van. He wasn't so happy himself. He needed Ana to get through the next 5 months. Should he eat at their place or Moms and Dads, he pondered. Moms and Dads didn't have Ana.

"Hey, guys, I'm gonna need a key," declared Elliot.

 **ADJUSTMENTS TO BE MADE**

That damned door was closed more often than not. Ros took to texting Christian to hurry up; we have to talk business. A few minutes later the door would fly open and a flushed and happy looking Christian would step through. Sometimes he looked sheepish but mostly pleased.

Ros just shook her head and told him that he was unprofessional. Oh, I don't know. Ana thinks I could go pro, he'd laugh back at her.

They'd work long hours, despite Ros' promise to Gwen to keep regular hours. To Ros regular hours were 7 to 7. Christian was usually up at 6 taking his run and showered and in the office by the time Ros came down. Around noon, both would go upstairs for lunch and Ros would be back by 12:30 while Christian would be 'busy' 'til 1 pm at least. Ana would nap for a couple of hours. Ros didn't know that this nap was at Christian's insistence. Around 3, he would go up and take her blood pressure and pulse rate, often her temperature, too. Then, if all was well, he'd allow her to come down stairs. Around 6 pm Ana would go upstairs and start prepping dinner. At some point he'd get a text, call out a good night to Ros and head up the stairs. Ros had seen their apartment, taken note that their kitchens were back to back and their bedrooms at opposite ends of the building. Thank gosh for somebody's quick thinking, she thought.

One day while Ana was heading upstairs, she heard the front door open. This was rather unusual tho' they did keep the door during the day. Maybe it was Elliot early for dinner. Then she heard the clacking of heels on the slate floors and cold chills went through her. She crouched at the top of the stairs and waited to see who was visiting.

"Elena, what are you doing here?" Christian's voice was artic.

"Such a warm greeting from my favorite pet," sighed Elena.

"Well…?"

"I'm opening a new salon and I need an investor."

"Are you out of your mind? Inhaling too much hairspray?" said a startled Christian.

"It's a good investment, my dear boy. You can look at my books, if you wish."

"Which set, Elena? The real ones or the fakes? snarled Christian.

"Christian, you wound me. You're the last person I'd cheat. You mean too much to me."

"Yeah, well, my marriage and my wife mean a lot to me."

"I'm sure your wife would not object to your making a good deal, now would she?"

"Elena, if you'd paid the slightest attention, you'd know that I don't deal in investments. I buy. Outright. I sell. Outright. And I am not interested in buying beauty salons. They do not fit into my business plan."

"Oh, I didn't realize. Well, as long as I am here and the day is almost over, perhaps we could just sit and have a friendly chat, for old time's sake."

"That's why you're really here, isn't it, Elena," snarled Christian. "Maybe we could talk about how you got off on torturing me for 6 years?"

"Now, you know our time together was mutually beneficial, Christian. Look at the man you've become because of my tutoring, the discipline I taught you. Before me you were just an out of control delinquent headed for jail. Now you're a mini-mogul on your way to being a tycoon."

Ana's hand, gripping the railing, was turning white.

"Yes, yes, I've heard this all before, Elena. It's the same old line you've been using to rationalize your brutality since I was 15. I got to fuck you if I stood for 3-4 hours of beatings first. Maybe fucking you is what made me think that all that fucking I did with all those randos at Harvard was a good time. I didn't know what good fucking really was until I met Ana..

You did not save me Elena. I survived you. That is the truth of it," Christian spit at her. "Who else are you coming to for money, eh? How many little money men do you have in your pocket?

Surely, I can't be the most successful of the bunch. Maybe that's something I should look into.

Now, there is a beautiful woman, beautiful in heart, soul and body, who is waiting to feed me dinner. I sure as hell am not going to spend another minute of my life looking at you. Get out…before my wife, sitting at the top of the stairs, flies down here to slug you again."

At this point, Ana stepped slowly and gracefully down the stairs, stopping on the 5th step to look down on Elena, whose face was one of surprise and distaste.

"How did you know…?"puzzled Elena.

"We always know when the other is nearby, Elena. It's like an electrical charge between us."

He smiled up at Ana. "Amazing restraint, my love."

"Can I smack her around now?" Ana sweetly inquired.

"No, I'm really hungry and our company has just arrived." Christian noted.

Without a word, Elliot stormed thru the door, grabbed Elena by the arm and literally threw her out into the street. Then he doubled locked the door and turned to Ana, "So, mite, what's for dinner?"

"You know, Elliot, we're going to have to establish a routine. You know, who gets you what nights. It only makes sense that we know when to expect you. Why, your brother could have been balls deep in me when you walked in," Ana reasoned while Christian cringed. "Geez, ever since you taught her that…"

"Me! I think it was a mutual effort, little bro. Oh, I think I smell pot roast. Oh, don't tell me you didn't know I was coming over tonight. Have you talked to Kate, Ana?"

Oh, hell, thought Christian, it was going to be a long night.

 **LATE SPRING**

The backyard was awash in blooms and the weather was perfection. Grace was dancing around the living room. Finally, a real wedding in the backyard as she had always wished. Elliot had flown out to Harvard at Easter break and proposed to Kate. She, so unlike herself, had not screamed or jumped up and down. She'd looked down at Elliot, on his one knee, and taken his arm to stand him up. Then she walked him over to a bench and they sat down. He was close to bawling, expecting a refusal or worse, an 'I've met someone'.

Instead, Kate had been very serious and asked him to think about what he was doing.

"Proposing, that's what I'm doing. I've practiced so I wouldn't fall over."

Tears rolling down her cheeks as she laughed, Kate pointed out to him that he was not getting a good deal.

"You'll need to hire a housekeeper because I can't cook, do laundry or clean. Elliot, my dearest love, I'm a lazy, thoughtless broad who'll spend too much of your money. Aside from sex, I bring no talents of any kind to a marriage. I'm not being modest. I know what I am and I'm not likely to change. Heck, if I could think of a way to make you carry the babies, I would. You're getting nothing out of this deal, don't you see?"

Elliot sweetly kissed away all the tears on her face and said that he knew exactly what he was getting into. Kate said the sex between them was really great and they could just go on that way. In a year or two, the novelty would wear off and they could break up and he'd be so relieved to be a single man.

"You think I'm marrying you for sex? Anything can happen, Kate. Maybe my dick falls off or you can't have sex anymore because I broke your pussy from overuse. I'd still want to be married to you. I freakin' LOVE you, darlin'. Do you get it, now?"

Kate sniffled a bit. Then she said, "Well, okay, one condition. You put a limit of some kind on my checking account or my plastic, whatever so that I don't spend us out of house and home and you pay no attention to my ranting, raving and threats of divorce. If you can do that….then I'll marry you. By the way, your mother has already committed us to a backyard wedding, your backyard to be specific. I don't know if she's cleared that with my mother so please look into that when you get home. Now, down on your knee again…"

Elliot finally completed his proposal, Kate screamed and bounced up and down, cried gimme, gimmie , grabbed her ring and hugged the breath out of him.

When Christian met him at the terminal, Elliot was beaming like sunshine and walking two feet off the ground. "Ana's been skyping with Kate since you left Boston. I think we've done flowers and are moving on to cake. Guess you did a good job. Kate thinks she's marrying the greatest guy since, since…..I don't know. Forget it. Anyway she's very happy and you appear to be, too.

"I am Happy , bro. God, it killed me to leave her and I bounced in my seat the whole way back. Guy behind me asked the attendant if we were having turbulence.

It was touch and go there for a while, though. I proposed, she started crying and said that she had to talk to me. Geez, if she pulls that stuff very often, I ain't gonna live long. I'll have a heart attack by 40."

"What did she say? Oh, god, she wasn't seeing someone else, was she?" grimaced Christian.

"No, man. She wanted to be sure that I understood what a loser I was trying to marry. She even went so far as to tell me that we could keep having sex until I got tired of her. No harm. No foul.

She made me promise to put a limit on her spending even if she threatened divorce!"

"Well, I hate to say it but she isn't far off the mark."

"Hey, I know that I not marrying an Ana. Kate is imperfect and she even pointed out that I'd have to hire a housekeeper but I love her and I know that she loves me. I've been with a few women, bro…." lil bro started coughing rather dramatically.

"but, as I was saying, I've never felt for anyone of them even a bit of what I feel for Kate and I know that she loves me just as much. It's quite a feeling, isn't it?"

"Yes, big bro, yes, it's everything.

So, no middle of the night drunken calls begging me to go get soused with you because your wife is a slob who can't cook."

Then the two brothers headed home to Grey manor for a celebration dinner.

Easter was long past and it was nearly summer. Dana had no problem with a backyard wedding at the Grey's. Grace lived for this stuff and Dana….well, didn't. So, she did what she was asked to do and paid for the reception and the booze.

Thus, one lazy, lovely afternoon, Christian and Ana snuggled together on the big wicker swing on the Grey patio. Christian was suitably attired in a white suit with a crème cummerbund, a royal blue bowtie with a little crème colored boutonniere. Ana was a wearing a light pink mid-length gown of several gossamer-like layers with a crème-colored band around the waist. On her head she wore a halo of pink tea roses and babys breath. With her blue eyes and her pale skin she looked truly like a woodland fairy. Several of the guests wandering by stopped and stared as if the two were a window display that couldn't see themselves being gawked at. Each blamed the other for being too beautiful for their own good.

Christian nuzzled his wife's hair and neck and was nuzzling his way south when she slapped him away. With her he seemed to lose all sense of appropriateness.

"Then stop smelling so good," Christian whined.

"Yeah, it's my fault that you have the self-control of a horny teenage boy." retorted Ana.

Christian chuckled, "Guess all of Elena's lessons failed."

"It was a beautiful wedding, wasn't it? Kate looked glorious with her soft light brown curls and "never did I think I'd see your brother in tears."

"He doesn't have the sturdiness of character that I do," bragged Christian.

"You cried at our wedding."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. Could barely hear the vows over all the sniffling," he laughed.

"Did he engage that housekeeper yet?" asked Ana.

"Kate's wedding present? He's got a list to interview when he gets back from the honeymoon.

However, I have a strong suspicion that he's going to ask you or Mom to do the interviews while he and Kate are gone. He'd like to eat the day he gets home."

"Say, when are we going to have a real honeymoon," asked Christian, "something with an above ground bed?"

"Funny you should ask. Ros wants to dig deep into the company without you breathing down her neck so you and I are heading up to Sequoia Lodge in two weeks for a solid week of no work AND no communication with work either. Aside from a little hiking in the woods, we are going to do what newlywed couples do…fuck ourselves into heaven."

"When did you plan this and where did we get the money?"

"My last book about the young couple trying to start their own company went nuclear or whatever bestselling drugstore books do and my publisher gave me a huge bonus." Ana smiled.

"Pays to write what you know. Now the pubs want a sequel. I told them they'd have to wait a couple of years."

"I guess that means that you and I will have to do something interesting in the next couple of years."

"It's called fiction," sweetie, "I'll make it up."

"Make up some blazing hot sex scenes that we can test out," begged Christian.

"Darlin', you just tried to put your face in my breasts in full view of 250 guests at your brother's wedding…."

"Can't help it. There they are. Right there," explained Christian. "Let's go take a nap."

Ana giggled. "We've already taken two 'naps' today."

"I'm still tired."

"That's probably from the exertion of the naps."

 **WEDDING DRAMA**

Eamon and Carrick rose to their feet and called for attention by tapping their glasses.

Eamon deferred to Carrick who began by thanking his youngest son and his bride for having a simple wedding that cost the family not a dime. Because of this attempt to break his mother's heart, the Greys were able to afford this less simple wedding for their oldest son and his bride which in turn meant that the Greys would possibly be able to afford the astronomically expensive extravaganza that would surely be Mia's nuptials.

Mia pretended to be astonished and insulted at such a notion…which no one, esp. Ethan, believed. She'd have at least 12 bridesmaids. Her current favorite for maid of honor and all its duties was Ana who laid her head in Christian's lap and groaned….which didn't diminish his need for a 'nap'.

Then there were the usual toasts from both fathers and mothers. When it came time for the best man toast, Christian had no choice but to pretend that he'd have to give his sitting down because Ana was asleep in his lap. She quietly giggled into his trousers zipper making his ragger only more obvious. If he chosen to stand up, well, it would have been both hilarious and horrifying for quite a few older ladies.

After the toasts, Elliot and Kate made their final rounds among the guests to thank them for coming before taking their leave. There was one more surprise, however. Loud voices and breaking glass announced the arrival of an uninvited guest. Attired in her usual creaking black leather, sky-high Louboutins and mountainous pile of bottle blonde hair, a drunken Elena Lincoln came to join the party. "Well, of course, I'm here. I'm a neighbor and a lifelong friend of the groom and I'm the groom's mother's best friend. I'm certain that my invitation was lost in the mail," loudly declared Elena.

"How the hell did she get past the security? Heads will roll," scowled Christian. Thankfully, it was long into the party and most of the guests were as drunk as Elena. As Christian rose to his feet to toss Elena out, Ana stopped him. He looked at his wife in confusion. She was studying Elena. She gently pushed on his chest to force him back into his seat. Then she walked up to Elena.

"Hello, Elena, we've been wondering what's been keeping you?"

Elena wobbled, sloshing her martini, and squinted down at the tiny woman before her.

"You punched me. I remember you. Yes, you punched me"

"Yes," laughed Ana, "we had quite the battle didn't we? You won tho'…knocked me out cold."

Elena seemed confused for a moment and then cackled, "Yes, yes, I did, didn't I. Young pup thought she could take on an old pro like me."

"Come, Elena. It's hot in the sun. Let's take a seat inside where it's cool." Ana gently took Elena's arm and lead her into the family room and a sofa. "One can no longer trust snail mail, Mrs. Lincoln. That is exactly what happened to your invitation." While chatting Elena up, Ana discretely indicated to Grace that she get her bag. Elena's blood pressure was through the roof and her blood glucose as well. Her breathing was labored and erratic. Her skin was pale and clammy. Ana recognized the signs of stroke.

Ana indicated to Christian to come hold Elena's hand. Christian didn't understand but if Ana had asked him to hold the hand of the devil, he'd have done so without question.

"Christian, I've missed you so. You never come to visit anymore. You know, no one was ever like you. You were always the special one."

Elena was holding tight to his hand and still grasping Ana's as well. She leaned in closely, her breath was rancid, like that of someone quite ill, with watery blue eyes she looked into Christian's and said, "She's no good for you, you know. She only wants your money. She doesn't love you like I do. She doesn't know what you need, not like I do."

Christian smiled gently at Elena and assured her that there was no one like her….that she was, indeed, one of a kind. They talked some more, going over the same old territory until the EMTs arrived. Elena seemed unaware of anyone but Christian. Still when Ana tried to pull her hand from Elena's grasp, Elena looked alarmed and would not release her. It, in fact, was Ana she insisted on having with her in the ambulance. "I'll be fine, Christian. Meet you at the hospital."

Carrick pulled up behind the ambulance just as it arrived. When the doors opened, Ana climbed out, a bit shaken. "She was pronounced dead just as we arrived. Her last words were, 'you seem like a nice girl but he will come back to me. I'm sorry.'" "Then she gave me the sweetest smile, closed her eyes and there was one last breath, the death rattle I heard from both my parents."

"Ana, my beloved Ana, you should not have had to go through that," Christian murmured as he held her tightly in his arms. "Of all people to help her, to comfort her in her last hour…"

"It's all right, Christian, it was even cathartic in a way. I think I saw a bit of humanity in her that I never dreamed was there. I want to know what happened to her, how she became that thing we saw at your house. She was born like all of us, a lovely innocent baby. I think someone must have hurt her terribly, Christian."

On the way home, with Carrick driving, Christian sat in the back seat with Ana on his lap. She'd fallen asleep almost immediately. When they arrived home, all the guest had gone but Elliot and Kate had stayed. Christian carried Ana to their bed, removed her shoes and let her sleep while Grace took her blood pressure and pulse rate. Then she motioned Christian to come into the living room.

"Her vitals are elevated but not seriously enough to call for an ambulance. I'll check her again in a few minutes."

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes until Carrick spoke, "Oh, I guess we should tell you that Elena died in the ambulance, dead on arrival, with Ana holding her hand. Oh, the irony," he grimaced.

"Oh, that Ana," grimaced Elliot.

"Her last words to Ana were ones of condolence," confided Christian. "Told Ana she was 'sorry, but he will come back to me'."

"What was her thing with you anyway?" demanded Kate.

"It was just this weird obsession she'd always had with Christian. Elena never played with a full deck. Hey, I'm sorry, Mom," said Elliot.

"I've haven't seen or spoken to her since the day Ana socked her and more or less accused her of being behind that abduction attempt. I don't know why I never saw the evil side of Elena. She was certainly an odd duck, wasn't she?" Grace shook her head back and forth.

"NO, NO, HURTS"

"Shit, said Christian, running for the bedroom. The others wondered where the little girl was.

Ana was in deep, 7 years old and having a capped beer bottle forced into her vagina and then pulled out and then shoved in again, the jagged edges of the cap tearing her tender flesh. He shouldn't have left her alone.

In this deep, it took Christian several minutes to shake Ana out of the reality of being raped. Once she was awake, she was hysterical. Grace quickly sedated her into a peaceful oblivion. Then she left Ana alone wrapped in Christian's arms.

Grace slumped on the couch. Carrick sat down and pulled his wife unto his lap, rubbing her arms.

"Certainly could have used you back when Mom and Dad first fostered Ana. The first nightmare, I almost soiled myself. I soon learned ways to calm her. Mom was damn near hysterical when I told her that I wasn't going to school near home, at WSU. Ethan was in Europe. We saw him once a year and now I was demanding to go to a school 3000 miles across the country but I felt I had to be with my sister, if only to watch out for her at night. I got so attuned to her, like Christian has, that I would wake up when she first began to stir and soothe her right back to sleep. I had 'boyfriends' but I never slept over. When Ana began staying every night with Christian, I became the campus whore, the happy campus whore.

"Oh, watch the sour puss, Grey, you were the whore of an entire city," Kate poked her new husband.

"When did you find out what the dreams were about, Kate?" asked Carrick.

"I came home really late one night from the library and found Ana in the middle of one and she was trying to push someone away and putting her hands between her legs trying to protect herself. My sudden realization of what all that meant sent me into the bathroom to throw up.

The next morning we talked and I learned the grim truth.

Christian was good at handling the nightmares right from the beginning except for one night when she stopped breathing and he called the EMTs. I had to put a pillow between his head and the concrete block hallway walls to keep him from bashing his own head in."

"Well, wife, we leave on a very early flight so I think we'd better get home and get some sleep first. Mom, Dad, we'll send postcards. Tell the lovebirds goodbye for us. I'd better get my men over to Elena's to recover all the audio/video surveillance and the tracking devices before the new buyers find them." Grace and Carrick stared at each other as Kate and Elliot left. "Now what…?"

 **THREE YEARS LATER**

"DAMN IT!"

Ana looked up from her laptop where she was writing the sequel to Young Love's Journey.

"Ros ran into the conference table again," she noted, 1, 2, 3…"

"Christian, this place is getting to be too damn small," complained Ros, continuing the ongoing discussion of whether they could or should start building. Ros was all full-steam ahead while Christian was all maybe-next-month-we'll-talk.

He and Elliot had been over the plans dozens of times and the bank was eager to give the promising young company GEH all the money it needed to fill that vacant eyesore across the street. As Ana had predicted, all the surrounding land had been purchased and built on. There were also pressures from the city which did not like having ugly vacant lots in the middle of their increasingly plush downtown district. The city had even raised the taxes and then turned around and offered GEH a tax break to build. However, Christian had always been reluctant to accept loans so he and Ana and Ros had been over and over their assets, looking for those that it was reasonable to sell.

One night, after Gwen had gone to bed and Christian was asleep in his chair, Ana and Ros settled down together and chose the companies that they felt had gone as far as they could, had achieved maximum profitability. Christian was actually being sentimental about 2 of the companies but Ana made up a spreadsheet. The next day she made him sit down and told him to put on his hard-headed businessman hat. Two hours later he emerged, looking sad and admitted that they were right. GEH had gone as far as it could with these companies. Said companies would soon start to hold them back even tho' they looked good at the moment. It was time to sell.

Elliot got his plans out, the permits were easy to obtain from a city that wanted desperately to give them out and the vacant lot across the street began to become the shiny glass tower to be known as Grey House. GEH had been growing so fast that Christian and Ana sometimes didn't notice how far they'd come from their little office in Grey Manor's basement, spreadsheets all over the pool table…or, as Elliot complained every night after dinner, "His" pool table. Even the little brick duplex had more than tripled in value in just three years not only because of the improvements made to it but because it now sat almost smack dab in the middle of all that ritz.

All parties decided that after the move into Grey House, they could convert the downstairs of the duplex into living space and just walk across the street to work every morning. They loved that little brick building. They'd move the kitchen's downstairs and the living areas. That would give them room upstairs for another bathroom and bedroom which the Greys would need as soon as their application for adoption provided them with a baby. They had applied two years earlier knowing that getting a child was a time-consuming process and that couples waited many years even for an older child.

Even before Ana was released from the hospital after her ectopic pregnancy, Christian had gotten a vasectomy. He was afraid that she was too fragile to discuss it so he didn't tell her. When she'd been home a while, he was still afraid that it was too soon to test her mental strength. He always failed to realize that emotionally Ana was the strong one. They didn't have sex after she came home due to the doctor's recommendation that they wait at least six weeks for Ana to recover. They'd tied off her remaining tube but Christian wasn't taking any chances. Even when the six weeks was up, he refused to have sex. He'd break into a cold sweat. Finally Ana dragged him to the doctor who sternly assured him that a tubal ligation in addition to a vasectomy ensured zero chance of conception. "Vasectomy?!" Ana did not take the news well but it was a relief to Christian that she was strong enough to give him hell for going behind her back and then keeping the secret for almost 2 months. She followed him around house telling him off for hours before she calmed down.

When they finally resumed relations, he used a condom, explaining that it took 15-16 ejaculations before they could be certain that no sperm were getting through. No, he told her, he hadn't been self-relieving. He'd tried but his dick knew its owner which was Ana so… 15-16 ejaculations, eh? She laughed. So, three or four days of condoms, then….okay, she laughed. Let's get busy.

 **IT'S UP!**

It was breezy 30 stories high in the Seattle sky. They'd used bricks to hold down the corners of their picnic blanket. They sat quietly, stunned by the view, as they ate their soup and sandwiches, leaning on their hands, hers on top of his. Even after four and half years together they still felt the need to be always touching.

Their thoughts were different, even though they knew what each other was thinking. She was marveling at the beauty before them and he was marveling at the cost of all the beauty underneath them. At least, he told himself, with Elliot's brilliant eco/self-sustaining/etc. bullshit, this building would be cheap to maintain and to operate. It seemed impossible but the 30 stories below them would cost only twice as much as their little two story duplex across the street. They'd already been approached several time by potential buyers whom they'd refused.

Christian noticed the goose bumps on Ana's arm from the cool breeze so he reached for his heavy sweater and wrapped her up. She kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He stopped worrying. Ana still had nightmares but fewer and otherwise her health was good and had been for some time. Just looking at her healthy glow made him happy. He was even okay with their infertility because it meant that Ana wasn't putting contraceptive chemicals in her body. He'd gone so far as to have his ejaculate examined in a lab to be sure that it was safe for her to swallow. Who knew what poison could be floating around out there in the world?

He'd insisted that Ana's blood be thoroughly checked for poisonous elements left over from the ether on that rag held over her mouth for several seconds. It was possible that those chemicals had interfered with her depo shot. At least he didn't have to worry about Elena anymore.

Surprisingly…or maybe not, Elena had named Christian as her sole beneficiary. This made it easy for Elliot to get in and remove all the surveillance equipment from the house and car. Most of her belongings were auctioned off and the proceeds given to Coping Together. Christian had a dump truck haul away everything else, including the contents of the dungeon. Elliot then rehabbed the house, after which it was sold and the profits given to charity. Neither Ana nor Christian would have felt right about keeping anything. Rather, Elena needed to give back for all those she'd hurt. She had an insurance policy which provided funds for her funeral and burial. It was a rather well-attended funeral, considering that no one liked her but most attended because the Greys did. Christian and Ana arranged for a simple marker with Elena's name and the appropriate dates. They tried and they discussed but they just could not come up with a suitable inscription so they left it plain. Elliot suggested a witch on a broom but Ana vetoed that based on her disapproval of peoples' misunderstanding of the wiccan religion. Maybe a crouching tiger? Elena was, after all, a predator and proud of it. In the end, everyone just forgot that she ever existed. Perhaps that was the most suitable response. Goodbye. Good riddance.

 **BABY, MAYBE**?

As they sat on the rooftop, their phones rang at the same time. Her ringtone for him was "Faithful Forever" and his for her was "Witchcraft". Their screens, however, showed the same message. The name of the agency through which they'd applied for a child years before.

"Answer yours," Ana voice shook as she buried her face in her husband's back.

"I could let it go to voicemail," suggested Christian.

"No, no, answer."

"This is Christian Grey. To whom am I speaking? Yes, Ms. Collins, of course I remember you. You're in charge of my potential parenthood." He smacked himself on the side of his head for his ill-timed attempt at humor.

"Well, that would be mother nature, I afraid," she replied with a smile in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Collin, I'm just nervous."

"Could you and Mrs. Grey drop by my office later today, say around 4:00?"

"Yes, of course, we'll be there. Yes, goodbye.

God damn it, why do they have to be so mysterious. Now we have to wait three hours to find out what she wants AND it may be nothing but more questions and home checks and see you in another 3 years." He slammed his phone on the plywood flooring repeatedly before throwing it off the building."

Ana kissed his head and held him tightly until his breathing calmed down.

"I need a new phone, Ana."

"I see that, dear. Good thing all the important people are calling me," she giggled. "You want to go home and kill time making love to your wife?

"I could meet you there. Hell, we'll be so relaxed by 4 pm, we won't care if they offer us a baby or a baboon."

So, they gathered up their picnic supplies, Christian carried the basket and they boarded the freight elevator. They did, indeed, spend the next 2.5 hours fucking each other's brains out with complete abandon. Nothing like a dozen or so orgasms to relax a person. They didn't even hear Ros complaining about their absence.

"We do run a business down here, you know! Alright, have it your way. I'm going upstairs to fuck _my_ wife."

"Sorry, sweetie, I'm in the middle of my soap. Can you wait about 40 minutes?" Gwen called down.

Promptly at 4 pm Christian and Ana settled themselves in the hard wooden chairs outside their social worker's office, holding hands and shaking. At 4:05, Ms. Collins admitted them, apologizing for the short delay and inviting them into the inner office.

Sitting there on another hard chair was a thin young woman with blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. She looked at them, smiled shyly, and then back down at the tiny child sleeping in her lap.

Christian and Ana had hoped for and made clear that they wanted a baby but Ana couldn't take her eyes off the tiny child in the woman's lap. The woman herself seemed no more than a child herself and she was so small that only a child of that size would have found room to sit.

Ms. Collins introduced them to each other.

"Debra, these are Christian and Ana Grey. Christian, Ana, this is Debra Newton and her daughter, Elisa."

This is Elisa, she's only 18 months old but she's really smart. She already sings and dances and laughs. She's very cheerful. She gets that from me. It seems no matter how bad things get, I'm still happy. I can't help it. And, of course, right now, things couldn't get any worse since I've come to the conclusion that I have to give up my child." Debra smiled and shrugged.

Ana moved over to sit next to Debra. "Debra, are you unwell. You seem quite thin and weak."

"Yes, you're quite perceptive or just bold." Ana laughed, "More of one than the other, I'm afraid."

"No filter, eh? Well, that's okay. In a situation like this, we need frankness. I'm not an addict of any kind. I was well until a couple of months ago when I was diagnosed with end stage leukemia. I decided against treatments because they would have only prolonged the inevitable and the pain. I contacted Ms. Collins and said that I needed to find the best possible home for Elisa before I go into hospice care. So, I'm rather hoping that you'll make up your minds quickly.

Do you have any questions for me? Ms. Collins has all my history, my medical and educational history. But I'm getting quite tired so if there is anything you'd like to ask me?"

"How much time you think you have left?" asked Ana.

"Ana!" cried out Christian.

"I ask because if we take Elisa, we will certainly have questions about her needs and habits and so forth and I'm hoping that you'll survive long enough to answer them before you need to go."

Debra broke into a big smile. "Damn, I like you, girl. You're smart. I have at most a month. I may only be conscious and alert for another two weeks. That ought to be plenty of time for you to get to know Elisa and realize any questions you have for me.

I also intend to use my remaining brain power to write more about Elisa. Here," she handed a book to Ana, "I've been writing constantly about Elsa. I also have all her clothes, her baby pictures, except for one that I want to keep, a letter to Elisa, and other keepsakes."

"Have you included pictures of yourself? I'd like to keep a box for her to peruse when she is older and has questions about her origins.

I don't know if Ms. Collins told that I and Christian are orphans. Christian never knew his father and lost his mother when he was four. Luckily, he was adopted by a wonderful couple who are now my family, my only family. I was a fostered child after the age of 8. Anything that we can give to Elisa one day, any information about her origins would be wonderful."

Debra looked down for a bit. "I know you mean well by that but my family were terrible people. Very strictly, fundamentalist religionists. They wanted to sell my daughter to an elder of the church. If they could find her, they still would. and I have gone to every possible legal extent to protect Elisa from claims on her. One of reasons that I chose you of all couples is because your father, Carrick Grey, is a lawyer of prominent standing. I've even heard him referred to as a shark. He can protect and deflect any attempts to claim her. I also know that you are people of wealth. Another protection.

With your word that Elisa will grow up as your daughter and you will move heaven and earth to protect her, I will feel comfortable in surrendering custody to you."

"Debra, do you want us to bring Elisa to the hospice care to visit with you even when you are too ill to understand who she is?"

"No, when she asks about me, you tell her the truth. That I became very sick and my body died just like her turtle did. That the spirit inside me has gone to heaven where I will be well and happy. I will see her again someday a long time from now. She won't understand of course but she is very young and will soon adapt to you. Now the question is, "do you want her?"

The little girl began to stir. She sat up in her mother's lap and smiled at everyone. She patted her stomach. Ana reached into her purse and pulled out a small plastic bag of Cheerios.

"Will these do?""

Elisa looked at her and began eating the Cheerios one by one. Then she regarded Ana curiously.

"Do what?" she asked. Christian chuckled.

"Would like anything else to eat, Elisa?"

Elisa smiled and shook her head.

"Elisa, I have to leave for a few days and these really nice people would like to look after you,

you. You know, like the time that Kent and Patty looked after you. You had a lot of fun.

Remember? I know it's sad and a little scary to leave me and go with strange people but

you know I'd never have anyone take care of you that I didn't probably vet, right?"

"You tell lady bring cheerios?"

"Nope, she just knew that hungry children like cheerios."

"Okay, for a while. You go doctor, mama?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I'll go to the doctor, okay?"

"Okay, you go doctor. Get well."

"I have to say goodbye now. You remember always that I loved you very, very much?"

"Yes, momma."

Debra looked at Christian and Ana who were gazing in amazement at this smart little girl.

"So, we're in agreement." She stood, handed the little girl to Ana and left the room.

Ms. Collins began to explain some things to the stunned couple. Just like that they had a daughter.

"There are some papers to sign and, of course, it would be a year for all this to clear the courts.

Be prepared for problems. Those relatives of her do not know where she is and have no claim as long as the paperwork is tight. You have the advantage of having a built-in lawyer. Get him to go over everything and leave no loopholes. Also, be certain that she is never unprotected. These religious nuts wouldn't hesitate to stalk her and grab her if they could. They'd go unground with her and we'd never find her. Debra refused every other couple I suggested…people who were ahead of you in line. She knew that you are prominent and that her daughter's picture could very well end up in the paper where these people would see her but she also knows that you come from a powerful family and are capable of protecting Elisa.

Do you understand what you are up against? I would understand if you didn't want to take on this kind of responsibility. I'm sorry to put you in this position but I knew you'd fall in love with her immediately and there is no other couple I'd trust to protect her. I took advantage and I would completely understand if you change your minds.

30 minutes later, Ana and Christian walked down the halls of the agency with their very own little girl in their arms. She was charming and forthright. As they approached the long steps down to the main sidewalk, Elisa decided Christian was more likely to get her down safely so she reached for him. By the time they got to the sidewalk, they were both in love in their own little girl.

 **A NEW START**

It was decided that until the Duplex was completely converted, the little family would move back in with Grace and Carrick, the latter of whom went right to work ensuring that Elisa was completely legally protected. Grace was so shocked and delighted at this unexpected addition to the family that she followed the tiny girl all over the house as she explored, unabashedly curious about everything. The first few days they must have heard a thousand "what this? what this do?

They marveled at her vocabulary, her physical agility. She was a 5 year old in a 18 month old package.

"She's gifted, to be sure. You'll have to start looking into the proper school for her."

"Mom," whined Christian, "she isn't yet 2. Couldn't we just enjoy her for a while before we put her in school?"

"Son," cautioned Carrick, "You must understand that that duplex isn't going to do with her being a target. Even with you there all the time, it sounds as though these people are ruthless. I've read all the files and I've looked into this particular group. They make Jefferies and Koresh look like kindly pastors. This group is more like the mafia. I'm afraid that we are really up against a whole new threat. Worse than Elena."

"Dad, what do you advise?" asked Christian as he watched the child he already considered his play with a rubics cube while she sat in his lap. He reached down and played with her soft blonde curls. She looked up at his grey with her blue eyes and said with slight irritation, "Daddy, I try concentrate."

Not since Ana had come into his life had he felt such joy.

"How easily she calls you Mommy and Daddy," remarked Grace.

"My first mommy told me I getting new mommy and daddy so that's how I knew." Then she began to cry and Christian held her close, murmuring to her and rocking her.

After a bit she fell asleep. He looked down at her and Ana cuddled close, running her fingers through her daughter's hair. "How is it possible," he asked, "to love someone so quickly and so fiercely, Ana?" She wrapped her arm across Elisa and Christian and sighed with contentment.

"You know, this is so reminiscent of adopting Elliot, isn't it, Carrick?"

"I was just thinking the same thing, Grace. We were called in without notice, met a very sick woman and charming little man and, bingo, we were parents. We were over the moon," he beamed remembering that little boy who was so loving with his mother. He looked at Grace who he knew was thinking the same thing.

"You know, kids, when we adopted Elliot, we brought his mother home to live with us until her death."

"Are you suggesting we bring Debra to the duplex?" asked Christian.

"No, we're suggesting that you bring her here, that you all live here until, you know, the end.

It is also a safer environment for Elisa right now until we can make other arrangements for her. What you think?" "Ana?"

"I'll ask when I go to see her, okay?" "I agree that this is a better place for Elisa until we better understand the threat against her. Christian?"

Christian just cuddled his child and Ana's arm and nodded.

 **ELISA**

Every day, Christian would reluctantly go to work, like any suburban dad, leaving his wife and daughter to spend the day getting to know each other. Every night, he would return to have dinner and playtime with Elisa. There were dozens of toys left at the house and he and Elisa had a blast looking through everything. For Elisa it was like being let loose in a toy store. Her favorite was the Woody doll from the Disney movie. She pulled the string until all Woody could do was gargle. She also loved his erector set. Christian could only stare as his 18 month old daughter actually built things.

He'd look up from the floor at Ana in wonder. He found himself whispering to Ana, "She's so smart!" a hundred times a day. Each time Ana would smile and nod patiently. Christian was a natural father…patient, kind, involved. He never came home and flopped on the couch, too tired from work to play with his child. His first words when he came in the house were Ana, then Elisa and then a greeting to his parents.

Carrick had friends in the FBI who kept him apprised of the whereabouts of members of the religious cult known as God's Chosen. He made the FBI aware of the threat to Elisa and they advised him on protective measures. A beautiful blonde, blue eyed girl stood out in a crowd so keep her out of them. Change her name which apparently Debra had already done, several times.

Elisa told them that her name was Judy, Nancy, Melinda, and so on. Debra had originally named her after her mother, Madeline, still a captive as Debra put it, but the changes became necessary as they were followed around the country, often just a few miles ahead of the Chosen's posse.

The FBI suggested that Elisa's adoption be sealed and that the Greys keep any mention of it out of the papers. The media was still very interested in Christian and Ana, Kate and Elliot. The Kavanaugh's saw to it that none of their vast media empire took note of a new member of the Grey family. The Grey's knew that they couldn't hide her forever, however. Ana stepped back from the business and stuck to writing and mothering. When they went out, one of the Grey men always went with them. One day Ana put a little brown wig on Elisa, who loved playing dress-up and she and Kate and Elliot went to the park. Elisa loved playing with her crazy uncle Elliot but Ana spent the entire time nervously looking about the park. It made her so nervous that she began to have a panic attack. Kate called Christian who came racing to the park. He found Ana clinging tightly to Elisa and hiding behind a bench. When Ana saw him, she raced into his arms with Elisa.

Elisa looked up at Christian and said, "Momma got scared. She thought she saw the men."

Elisa seemed not at all disturbed. She had been through this with Debra many times.

"It's okay, Momma, I know you won't let the men get me. Don't cry, Momma?"

Christian took them home and had Grace check on Ana blood pressure. It was too high but it came down quickly. Then Ana and Elisa had a nap while Christian watched over them, over his whole world.

"Dad, I'm thinking of selling the duplex. Elliot could put a couple of apartments, heck he could put in half a dozen apartments, on the 29th floor of Grey House. We could secure access with a code. He's got a design for an apartment that would include an enclosed play area/balcony for Elisa. My offices would be on the penthouse level so Ana and I could do our work and be near our daughter all day. We would put in audio/video surveillance as well. At one end, we'd have a daycare. What do you think?"

"Well, you'd get a small fortune for that duplex now but even more if you wait until you open Grey House. If the 29th floor could fit another apartment, maybe Ros and Gwen would like that. Gwen would probably like having Ros close enough to yell at," he chuckled.

"I haven't asked lately but are you doing that well?" enquired Carrick.

"We're a multi-million dollar business, Dad, and if we continue as we have, by this time next year, we'll have our first billion." Christian said proudly.

"How does Ana feel about all this money?" asked Carrick.

"She's hilarious, Dad. She's still clipping coupons and refusing to spend money on anything 'unnecessary' which is practically everything, according to her. We were taking a walk down the avenue one day, window shopping, and she admired this diamond necklace in a jewelry store window. I was going to walk in and buy it for her right then and there and she almost had a panic attack. She's still shopping in thrift stores, coming home and crowing about her purchase. The fanciest label she owns is J.C. Penny."

"Well, I don't know much about shopping. In our wedding vows your mother agreed to buy all my clothes. I'm ashamed to say that she still lays out my outfit for each day. If it weren't for her, I'd probably go to the office in my tighty whiteys."

"TMI, dad" grinned Christian. "Anyway I've colluded with Kate to get Ana into a designer gown for Coping Together this year. Kate will love spending our money. Elliot has a tight rein on that girl, as requested by same girl, who I think often regrets that particular wedding vow. Did you know that they finally settled on a permanent, live-in housekeeper, name of Dorothy?" 

"No, I didn't. Good Golly. It was just a revolving door there for a while. What's so special about this one?"

"Well, she's ugly and old enough for Kate and a good enough cook for Elliot." laughed Christian.

"You know, once we move into Grey House, I'd like to get a housekeeper though it's going to be a hard sell to the little woman. But, Dad, she's already a full-time mother, writing all the time, keeping up with company, cooking. I do laundry and a lot of cleaning but I worry about her. I watch her carefully for signs of weariness. Ironically, she's having fewer nightmares since we have Elisa. So, if you or Mom can think of a way to convince her to hire help, let me know."

"I'll get your mother on it."

 **DEBRA**

Ana visited Debra every day. Debra told Ana that she was the first friend Debra had ever had, unless one counted the sister wives of God's Chosen. Otherwise, she'd been on the run for a long time and couldn't chance having a friend. She didn't know who Elisa's father might be. She'd been passed around from man to man…the idea being that no child belonged to any one person. Once a child was born, it was immediately taken and given to a wet nurse. New mothers never knew which baby in the nursery was theirs. All the women and children ultimately belonged to the master.

Debra had discovered by accident that her mother was a woman named Madeline, simply because they were practically twins. Her mother helped her escape while she was pregnant and probably paid dearly for it. At this, Debra began to cry. Ana squeezed into the bed just behind Debra and held her, like a mother.

Every visit she pleaded with Debra to come to Grey Manor to live out her days. Every day Debra refused. She asked only that Ana come to see her and bring news of Elisa. Ana promised her every day that the family was aware of the threat and were even working with the FBI. That eased Debra's mind.

Ana noticed that Debra was beginning to fade away. She was on very heavy medication for pain and one day she just didn't recognize Ana at all. Still Ana visited until the day that Debra died as Ana held her. Ana reflected that she'd heard too many death rattles in her young life.

She and Christian sat with Elisa to explain that her first momma had gone to heaven and Elisa wouldn't see her anymore. Elisa understood and she cried, sitting in Christian's lap and making Ana put her arm around her.

Christian made all the arrangements for Debra's funeral, ensuring that there be no public notice. She was buried in the Grey plot under a false name with a lovely inscription from the bible about Deborah. Elisa dropped a rose on her mother's coffin and then everyone went home. Elisa was quiet for a few days and then she came to Ana to ask if her name would be changed again. It was an unusual name and liable to draw attention, esp. if the posse already knew it. So Ana and Christian asked Elisa what she thought. She was used to getting new names so dropping Elisa didn't bother her. Did she have a name she'd like to give herself?

Elisa tapped her finger against her lips for a while and informed her parents that she would have to give it some thought. I'll get back to you, she said. "God, is our daughter adorable or what?" asked Christian. She is so articulate that is breathtaking. Most kids her age can barely talk.

Not ten minutes later, Elisa came back into the room and announced a family meeting. Thus, Grace, Carrick, Ana and Christian sat together on the couch with their tiny girl standing tall and formal in front of them. She was so cute and they were so terrified. What were they thinking, allowing this baby to choose her own name. God, thought Ana, if she chooses Heather or Barbie….

"From now on I be Elisabeth, with s, because 'Z looks like a razor.

There are nicknames like Lilibet, Beth….hmmm guess that's it. Okay?"

"That," praised Grace, "is a beautiful name."

"Yes," agreed Carrick, "good choice, indeed, Elisabeth."

"Come here, my little Lilibet," beamed Christian. "Yes," agreed Ana, "Lilibet is so you. Don't let anyone change it to 'Lili'.

Carrick whispers to Christian as he gets up from the couch, "I'll get right on that birth certificate. Anyone snooping around will find a certificate stating that Elisabeth Deborah Grey was born to Ana and Christian Grey 18 months ago. First step to throwing God's Chosen off the scent but I think that you and I have to look into bodyguards. Christian nodded slightly and want back to enjoying his wife and daughter.

 **GREY HOUSE AND HOME**

 **ONE YEAR LATER**

"NO!" Lilibet had decided to enter the terrible two's. It was ironic that she was ahead in everything else. Her speech had improved. It was perfect. But her behavior had become something else to deal with. She was constantly asserting her right to not take her nap, not eat her dinner, not clean up her toys, not, not, not. She was also always attention seeking. She insisted on being carried by the nearest adult. If Christian didn't lock his study door, she would come in and crawl into his lap. "Momma" echoed loudly and incessantly through the huge apartment. Ana and Christian spent at least once a day talking to Grace and Carrick, asking for advice.

Kate and Elliot were having their first child and, watching Lilibet, were terrified. Lilibet even became angry when she no longer fit on Kate's lap. And she most certainly did not like the idea that there would soon be a competitor on the field. She would point at Kate's bump and loudly proclaim, "NO! Baby go way."

Then one day she suddenly began picking up her toys, explaining to Ana patiently that they needed to be put away so that the new baby didn't fall over them. Ana just nodded, dumbfounded. When Christian came home, Lilibet informed him that he could spend just one hour in his study but then he had to stop being a boss and be a daddy. When it came to nap time, she told Ana that she didn't know if she could sleep but she would rest.

Suddenly, she was good girl Lilibet again. They didn't know why or how though they were certain that the changes were her idea. Lilibet was her own person, a force to be reckoned with. At 2.5 she was as articulate as any adult around her. She soaked up words like a sponge. She would listen and ask about words they used and then practice with them. She watched Ana typing her books and insisted that Ana teach her how to write. So, Ana and Christian hired a tutor who specialized in gifted children and he worked with Lilibet every day. It was always he who was tired out first. He advised that Lilibet be tested but they figured that they knew she was highly intelligent. Whatever skill she wanted to learn, they'd teach her or get her a tutor. Soon, she had her reading teacher who evolved into her typing teacher. She had a piano teacher and, lord help them, a drum teacher. She wanted to learn both gymnastics and ballet so a studio was set on the 28th floor, next to daycare, and all children who wanted to learn joined Lilibet.

One night as Christian held Ana after making love for a couple of hours, he was surprised to find her still awake. "How come you didn't fall asleep after that last orgasm? I usually knock you out after #3? Am I losing my touch?" he worried.

"No," answered Ana. "God, no. In fact, I could swear you've invented a few new 'touches'. It's just that I'm kind of wired tonight. I've been Lilibeted." Would you mind if I played with my dick for a while, just to help me relax?"

"No, no, I don't think I'd like that," joked Christian as Ana took hold of his penis. "Which view would you like," she laughed, wiggling her butt at him. "Front," enthused Christian, "I want to watch… until the point where I go blind, that is."

Ana took his dick in hand and looked over it for a long time, noting its veins and little cap and the point where it ended in his scrotum. "What," gasped Christian, "are you doing, besides torturing me?"

"Oh, I was thinking of the first time. I don't think I've really looked you over much since then and that was a long time ago. I like exploring my dick and make no mistake, this is _my_ dick, mine," she said with a growl.

The growl only served to make Christian harder which was fun for Ana to watch. She wondered why some woman didn't want to touch their man's dick, much less put it in their mouths. She and Kate had talked about that. Kate, who'd described herself as Harvard's whore and who'd seemed to always be dating, was actually shy about Elliot's favorite body part. She wouldn't give him blow jobs and, remarkably, Elliot was okay with it. He really did love her and would never ask anything of her that she didn't want to give. Elliot, to Ana's amazement, was, at least where Kate was concerned, a giving and caring lover.

Elliot had a birthday coming up. Ana decided to try and convince Kate to get acquainted with her husband's penis as a birthday present. Meanwhile, of course, she was more interested in Christian's. She suddenly dropped his dick and hopped off the bed, running into the bathroom. Christian lay there dazed. He was already half gone and hoped that Ana wasn't. She returned with a bottle of cinnamon and vanilla oil. It was hers and he loved to smooth it all over her until she was screaming for a good fucking.

She carefully rubbed her hands together to warm them up and then added the oil. She took his balls in her hands and then licked and sucked on them a bit. She noted with satisfaction that Christian was gripping the sheets. Then she began gently massaging his scrotum with her oil-covered hands and then moving up his shaft. Christian was making noises she'd never heard from him before. She had a box of wipes next to the bed. If he came, she'd clean him up and start over…which, as it turned out, he did and she did. Christian had always recovered quickly so within a few minutes of massaging him gently again, his shaft was hard and she began twirling her tongue around it, starting at the tip and working her way down. The oil was mostly cleaned off but it didn't taste bad anyway. Every time Christian seemed about to come, Ana stopped her ministrations and waited while he begged her to let him cum. This was a game he often played with her which resulted in shattering orgasms. Now she'd found a way to do the same for him.

Finally, after several starts and stops, with her face growing sore from sucking so hard, she let him cum, with his tip at the back of her throat and cum going straight down her throat. Sometimes his sperm tasted good, sweet, because he'd been drinking pineapple juice but other times it was salty and kind of metallic.

This time, as Christian lay sweating, breathing hard and unable to speak, Ana suggested that they purchase a small college dorm sized fridge for their bedroom. It would be handy to have drinks so available, including, of course, pineapple juice. She'd have to google how long it took for the juice to mix with his ejaculate. Christian just grunted and fell immediately to sleep. That was unusual. He always stayed awake a while because he enjoyed holding her, looking at his beautiful Ana. Oh, well, she was tired now. Watching her husband come apart was quite relaxing. She'd really have to convince Kate.

 **DANGER AND DICKS**

Ana had made it her mission to save Kate from a lack of dick delights. She was especially determined the morning after her dick play with Christian. Instead of popping awake at dawn, as usual, and going for a run, he slept wrapped around Ana until Lilibet rapped on their door at 7 am.

"Momma, Daddy, I'm hungry but don't worry I eat breakfast with Mrs. Jones."

Momma and Daddy lay laughing. Their considerate little girl woke them up to tell them that they didn't _have_ to get up. "Wow, last night…I wanted to thank you but I couldn't have moved my body much less my lips if the place had been on fire. You are unbelievable, Ana. It reminded me of that first time...you know, except for the slow torture. You are the absolute goddess of dick blowing."

"Thank you, husband. I really enjoyed myself, too. I love making you happy. I just love you so very, very much," Ana replied, looking into Christian's eyes with such warmth that he almost teared up. All he could do was hold her tight and wonder how he got so lucky to have someone love him like this. She loved him. She really loved him. He squeezed her closer, kissed the top of her head and blinked back tears of wonder and gratitude.

When they finally decided it was best to get out of bed, it was with great reluctance. Ana smiled mischievously and told him that if he'd go to work and make another million, she'd play with her dick again tonight. Immediately, his mind went to work, thinking how to make that happen in one day. Thus inspired, he rushed through his shower, dressed in his $4000 suit and hit the breakfast bar, drinking his pineapple juice. Some said that it was a myth but Ana noticed the difference. Lilibet was already done and insisted on helping Mrs. Jones wash the dishes. Then, in the company of her CPO, Ryan, she bid everyone goodbye and good day and headed down to the 28th floor for her ballet lesson, followed soon after by a quite invigorated Christian.

Ana called Kate to begin _her_ mission. She began by inviting, nay _insisting_ , that Kate come over to the house, never mind why.

"What was so almighty important that I had to drag my bloated body off the couch?" complained Kate.

"I wanted to tell you what I did for myself _and_ my husband last night that was off-the-charts enjoyable."

"Oh, dear, I don't know if I want to hear this."

"Kate, it is time you learn to make Elliot happy, esp. with almost two dry months upcoming. Now you know that during this dry spell, Elliot is going to be making you wet. He will spend every available moment pleasuring your pussy while the most he gets is possibly a quick, unenthusiastic hand job. And he won't complain but he'll be jerking off in the shower every morning and night.

I, personally, would be ashamed and sad if Christian had to take care of himself like that. Making him sexually happy is my job and I take it seriously. Last night I did so and it was wonderful. I tell you, Kate, watching his face, seeing his reaction…it's heaven to know that that was all me."

"Ana, I just feel kinda repulsed. I can't help it. I remember all those college guys I dated always begging, or trying to push my face into their laps, or whining about their blue balls. Fucking was never enough. With Elliot, it is and we're both very happy with our love lives."

"And does he go down on you?"

Kate shyly nodded in the affirmative. "I know that I'm being selfish, Ana. I guess if he ever demanded a blowjob, and he might these next two months, I'd force myself."

"You shouldn't have to force yourself. You should want to because it's great," asserted Ana.

Kate looked at her in wonder. "How did Christian ever convince you of that?"

"He didn't. I told you the story of our first time. It was my idea. And, Kate, seeing what it did to him make _me_ feel so good and so powerful."

Ana spent the next 2 hours telling Kate about blowjobs and the one she'd given Christian the night before. She advised her to approach Elliot the same way she'd approached Christian the first time. Explain that she'd like to learn what and how to do it and get his feedback. She also advised her to try out throat touching first with a toothbrush to learn how far back she could go. Or perhaps a proper sized cucumber. She said that all those showers Elliot was taking ensured that he was very clean but that she was well within her rights to ask for a little manscaping if she wished. In fact, if she wanted to spend a little non-sexual time with Elliot's dick, she could do the snipping herself. She should not be shy about lifting the little flap to check because a lot of guys forgot about that. Also, Ana advised keeping a box of wipes nearby. She sent Kate on her way with a couple of bottles of oils as well.

While she was happily looking forward to the next morning and maybe good news, she heard bells going off. Before she could react, Ryan ran from the security office and swept her into the panic room along with Mrs. Jones. The panic room had the same monitors and communication equipment as the security office so Ana could see that the entire building was on lockdown. There were already police and FBl cars out front. The 30th floor elevator was on lockdown as were the 28th and 29th. She could see Christian pounding on the elevator doors and then picking up his phone. Her ringtone went on instantly.

"Christian, what is happening?" Ana cried.

"I'm not sure, Ana, but we may have an intruder. Otherwise the fire suppression system would have kicked in. I'm trying to override the lockdown on the elevator but I may not be able to do it. After all, Barney and I designed it."

"Christian, the monitors for the 28th, look! There are three men in the corridor just outside Lilibet's daycare." Ana's voice was becoming increasingly panicked.

"Ana, listen to me. The doors to the daycare automatically lock and the glass is bulletproof. Hold on a minute. I'm getting a call from the police…"

Ana searched the monitors for a sign of Lilibet. There were so many children. Where was Lilibet?"

"Ana, Ana, are you there?"

"Christian, I can't see Lilibet, I can't find our daughter," screamed Ana.

"Ana, honey, try to calm yourself and listen to me. Ryan is with Lilibet at all times. No one can get near her. You probably can't find her because you can't find Ryan. Also, the police and FBI are delighted that they have these loons cornered. They're trapped in the corridor, Ana. They can't get into any door, including the emergency stairways. Lilibet is safe, ok? Now try to be patient and calm, please. Please, don't hyperventilate. Breathe slow in and out, okay. Give the phone to Mrs. Jones. Now."

In a daze, Ana handed the phone to Mrs. Jones as she stared at the screen showing the daycare centre. Mrs. Jones took the phone. "Mrs. Jones, remember one of the reasons we hired you. You've never seen Mrs. Grey go into a meltdown but it is very important that you keep her bp and her pulse rate down. The sedation equipment is in the panic room if it becomes necessary."

"Yes, Mr. Grey, I certainly recall my training and I have regular update classes. I have a cuff on Mrs. Grey as we speak and it is slightly elevated but that is normal. Don't worry, Mr. Grey. She'll be safe with me."

Everyone kept their eyes on the monitors. Many of the employees had their children in the daycare center. They didn't know that there was a secret stairwell tucked behind a cabinet in a storeroom. Suddenly Ana saw Lilibet run into the great room, crying 'Momma'. A moment later the panic room doors opened and Ryan walked in with Lilibet.

Ana held her close, keeping her from looking at the monitors. The men were still trying to blast their way through the glass. Ryan put his hand to his ear piece and said," Yes, sir." Then he left and returned to wherever he'd mysteriously appeared from. Ana watched as all the children were herded into a back room and minutes later appeared in the great room. Ryan and their teachers then brought them into the panic room. Mrs. Jones again tested Mrs. Grey's bp and called Mr. Grey to assure him that her blood pressure and heart rate were back to normal and all the children were safe. Then she instructed them all to sit down while she doled out snacks.

Soon, all the children were chattering in excitement, rather than fear. But Ana couldn't take her eyes off the monitors.

Police and FBI agents were everywhere, inside and out. Not only were they out to capture the three, heavily bearded men on the 28th floor but they were scouring the streets and area surrounding the building. Officers were going door to door checking on residents' safety. Christian told Ana that they might be locked down for some time while the officers secured the visible men and any who might be in hiding. With stairwells, offices, even bathrooms on lockdown, it would be impossible for anyone to hide from the monitors.

God's Chosen may be vicious but they were not well-educated or learned in the ways of modern surveillance technology. Finally, Christian notified Ana that Barney had found a way to override the system enough to use the 30th stairwell and he would be home soon. He waved as he and several other parents made their way into the stairwell. Then the monitor went black and there was a shot heard. Then another. There was screaming and then silence.

The silence went on forever as Ryan spoke urgently but calmly into his earpiece. Ana heard a few words…blood, injury, Mr. Grey, Andrea. She tried to follow Mrs. Jones firm instructions to look into her eyes and breathe with her. She grasped Lilibeth to her and stared into Mrs. Jones's eyes and breathed. She couldn't pass out. She had to stay strong for the her daughter and the other children. Her collapsing would possibly terrify them. She couldn't look at the monitors anymore. There was nothing to see. Her Christian was in a blacked out stairwell with a gunmen…a madman who'd shot someone, possibly her husband. Finally, she closed her eyes and just breathed, slowly, in and out, listening to the soft, soothing voice of Mrs. Jones.

Then she was leaning back into the strong arms and the hard chest of a man. She knew his scent and felt the familiar electrical charge go through her. She relaxed and sank back into Christian.

She hadn't heard the door open or any other sounds. He was just there. Lilibet had fallen asleep in her arms. Parents poured into the room, looking for their own children. Miraculously, every child had a parent and none were bloodied except Christian. His arm had been grazed in the struggle with the gunman. Ana would learn later that the gunman had shot out the monitor while he should have been shooting Christian who decked the guy the way he tried to deck Claude Bastille, his trainer…although he wasn't usually successful with Claude.

It was another hour before the trapped gunmen gave up and put down their weapons. The fellow in the stairwell had been disarmed by Christian who gave the gun to Ryan. The getaway driver… didn't. The streets all around had been blocked and his extremely bushy beard gave him away as he tried to sit, looking inconspicuous. All four were now being interrogated. The FBI hoped to get info from them to get the master.

Christian gave raises to both Mrs. Jones and Ryan, both of whom protested that they were only doing the jobs for which they were hired. Barney and his top security techs went to work redesigning and fortifying the system at GREY House. The men had gotten in the ground level elevators simply by showing their guns. Barney took the entire affair as a personal failure.

All this to kidnap a tiny little girl. It was explained to the Greys by the FBI that letting someone leave without his permission was an affront to the master and his authority. If one person got away with it, others would try. If they could, and they would, get the master, it would blow apart the entire cult. The master would undoubtedly be placed in solitary confinement to prevent him giving instructions to his followers on the outside. It would be preferable, of course, if the master made it impossible to take him alive. His followers were brainwashed to believe that he was immortal. His death would dissolve the cult.

 **EPILOGUE**

The performance was perfection. All the Greys were on their feet, applauding and yelling "Brava" as the tiny 12 year Lilibet bowed. Her Clara was a delight. She seemed to float across the stage. Even her twin seven year brothers, Theo and Henry, enjoyed the ballet and they'd had to be dragged to the concert hall. They figured that they'd already put up with Lilibet's piano recital.

Speaking of putting up with, Ana had created a monster in Kate who now couldn't keep her hands off of her husband's dick. She spent the ballet with her hand down his pants and Elliot groaning. Ana kept reaching over and slapping Kate's hand. Kate had, indeed, discovered the delights of dick ownership. She and Elliot were in the process of baking baby #3 and Elliot was looking forward to an excess of dick delights.

The FBI was right about the cult. The master, when cornered, put up a fight and was shot dead. The remaining cult members, most innocent of any crime, turned themselves in, asking for help in starting a normal life. They also gave any information they could of life inside the compound. Sadly, Debra's mother was now with her daughter. She'd been beaten to death by the master.

Although his daughter was now safe from that particular threat, she and her brothers and Ana and Christian, etc., every single Grey would forever more have CPOs and covert protection. GEH was a privately owned multi-billion dollar company and there were threats. Christian had hired a chief of security, Jason Taylor, who relieved not just Christian but poor frazzled Barney of the responsibility of putting together and running a vast security system for all things Grey.

Jason had not wanted the job. He liked action. He'd been to the middle east on a half dozen tours but he now had a daughter who was old enough to know he was gone and his ex-wife's selection in boyfriends looked dicey to him so he figured it was time for a quiet job. When he

left Grey's office, he was more than pleased with the salary and benefits. He was even given a cottage of his own on the estate. So, he walked out with a smile. That smile soon turned into a beam when he saw the blonde setting the table for dinner. A blonde who was single like Jason…for a couple of years anyway. It was a lovely backyard wedding.

Christian now did as much work as possible from his home office. Ros had become ever more brilliant and absolutely craved the workload. Periodically, Christian would get a call from Gwen. He knew what it was about before he even picked up the phone. He would endure an tongue-lashing about Ros' hours and her preoccupation with GEH and then he would force Ros to hand over her phone, put her and Gwen on the GEH jet and send them wherever Gwen wanted to go for two weeks. Ros and Gwen had taken over the entire duplex because they liked living across the street from the office. As a single home, it was a really big place. Carrick tsked tsked at Christian for just handing over the keys but Christian had wisely put into Ros' revised contract that she had to return the keys if ever she decided to quit. And Gwen, Christian knew, would never want to leave the house.

A few years after adopting Lilibet, Ms. Collins called them again. They hadn't even thought about another adoption but they walked into her office knowing that they'd leave with another child. Ms. Collins seemed to read them quite well indeed. They walked in and saw two small boys, identical twins, sitting on the hardwood chairs, wide eyed and frightened. Without hesitation, Ana picked up one boy to sit on her lap and cuddled the other one close. Neither resisted. Their names were Theodore and Henry and their parents, a couple of alcoholics, had died two nights earlier while coming back from a bar at 2 am. The three year boys were home alone, a regular occurrence. Christian, seeing that they took to Ana, sat down on another chair and put the other boy, Henry, on his lap.

They listened to Ms. Collins. They told the boys that they would now have an older sister who could be quite bossy but would also always protect them. The boys nodded. Papers were signed and the four walked out together, hand in hand. As soon as they walked in the door, Lilibet ran up to them, chattering away, asking their names and dragging them off to their rooms. They wanted to share for now so Lilibet took them to the biggest guest room with the balcony overlooking the backyard and the waters of the sound. She sat them down, asked them a million questions and they discussed how they would like to decorate their room.

Downstairs, Ana and Christian laughed, smiling about their good fortune. Ana went off to get their sizes and Christian sat down in his study to discuss security with Taylor. Mrs. Taylor made up several gallon buckets of mac and cheese.

Sometimes, musing in his office, Christian would look off at the Sound and marvel at the perfection of his life. How he'd never dreamed, hung up on cross with a ball gag in his mouth, wincing at the pain of the beating he was receiving and being told that Elena was the only one who would ever understand him and love was for fools…no, he'd never dreamed that one day he have the perfect wife, the perfect children, the perfect life.

He pushed a button on his phone, heard "Faithful Forever" playing as Ana strolled in and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and humming her signature tune as he held her tight.

 **THE MIDDLE**


End file.
